


Spider Riders Arachnapower

by savagethewolverine



Category: Spider Riders - All Media Types
Genre: Anime, Magical Girls, Oracle - Freeform, Superheroes, arachnapower, kids wb, saturday cartoon, spider rider, spider riders - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-03-09 22:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18925870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savagethewolverine/pseuds/savagethewolverine
Summary: Welcome to the world of Arachnis, a fantastic world shaped by the wisdom of the great Oracle. A terrible war has broken out between the Humans and the Invectids, and the fate of the planet itself is on the line. This is the Story of Hunter Steele, an average boy that has been flung headlong into this war. Looking deep within himself, he must find the courage to fight against the evil machinations of the Vile Lord Mantid and his Big Four. The cry goes out, "Calling all Spider Riders!"





	1. Prologue

Prologue 

Welcome to the world of Arachnis, a legendary land crafted by the hands of lovely but mysterious Oracle. With her great wisdom, she created a home for the humans and the Invectids, binding them together in harmony and light. 

However, not all was well. In the shadows of the peaceful world, a movement had been made against the peaceful humans by the Invectid warlord Mantid. Given their similarities with the smaller insects that called Arachnis their home, Mantid rallied his bretheren under his banner with the declaration that their kind was much stronger and possessed a stronger chance of survival. He preached that the humans would eventually become a detriment to their way of life, and thus he amassed an army of Invectids of every type to his cause. Any Invectids that did not join were imprisoned, and any humans that revolted were silenced. It wasn't long before the Oracle herself was forced to descend upon Bugese and his forces. A hard-fought battle erupted between the Giver of Light and the Invectid warlord, but ultimately it was a fight that even the Oracle could win. 

Mantid had discovered a means to harm the Oracle, and he forced her to retreat. She ascended to the highest peak of Mount Anansi, where she placed herself in a crystal chamber so that she may heal and regain her power. However, before the Oracle was lost from the world, she left the humans with one last gift. Mount Anansi erupted, and sent forth a shower of beautiful, flawless crystals. As they descended upon the valley below, the local spiders suddenly grew larger and shelled within impenetrable armor. A great knowledge was also passed onto the royal family that would be passed on to every able smith in the land. With the use of the right metals, the crystals of Mount Anansi, and a fragment of a battle spider’s armored hide, the humans created the first manacles. Calling upon the power of the Oracle that still remained in the world, both human and spider would be transformed, given armor and weapons of immense power. Together, these elite warriors of light and justice became known as Spider Riders, and together they would take the battle to Mantid and his Big Four. The battle still rages on...


	2. Aliance of Evil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we have an assembly of the biggest bads of the big bads. Here, we get an idea of how things work for the Invectids, and some foreshadowing of their plans. Small note: Beerain does not exist in this continuity, nor does the concept of an inner or outer world. Lord Hive and his furies will be replacing Beerain, and you'll be seeing more about him in a later chapter.

Chapter 1: Alliance of Evil. 

Mantid loved the darkness. It was a concealing veil, not that he had anything to hide. No, Mantid despised the light because of how much it reminded him of the Oracle, his hated nemesis. To this day, he still regretted not being able to finish her off, the coward fleeing without so much as a word. His forces were still digging at the crystal chamber that concealed her from him, but neither their sharpest ax or their most thorough drill could piece the polished stone. Nevertheless, one day he would reach her, and then, at last, he would enact his revenge. 

His trot eventually brought him to the large meeting area, and he took his seat at the great round table with the fireplace at his back and the chandelier above providing the only illumination. There were four more seats surrounding he table, each one pointing to a different doorway. At last, the first to appear was Stag, the beetle Invetid. Stag was the first Mantid could rally to his cause, and he remained his most loyal supporter. He was a warrior through and through with a strong code of honor. To Stag, might equaled right, and he believed that there was truly none mightier than Mantid. To the warlord’s surprise, there was no sign of his signature zanbato, Kabuto, which seemed out of character. He made no mention of it, and he nodded his head respectfully as the general of the east took his place at the table. 

The next to arrive was Lord Hive, the general of the south and king of the Swarm. Hive was the more enigmatic member of Mantid’s little counsel, often keeping to himself and even concealing his face beneath a beehive-shaped mask. Mantid could relate to such a need for concealment as he too wore a thick hood that concealed his own features. However, what truly made Hive stand out were the three bee-furies tailing him and standing behind his chair as he sat. 

The first was Rose, the crimson plated fury whom wielded a whip. Stalwart and unrelenting, she was the leader of her little group and the closest to Lord Hive. To her right was Black Beauty, and onyx clad fury wielding a battle ax. Brusque and downright cruel, she was Lord Hive’s chief interrogator and executioner, and she loved every moment of it. Last, and certainly least, was Gardenia, the smallest of the furies clad in chartreuse. She was in charge of the worker drones that maintained the entirety of the Swarm colony, though her meeker persona made her weakest of her sisters in terms of straight combat. Together, the three furies served their lord, but it was not mere loyalty that spurred them forward. After Queen Gloria, Hive’s mother, passed away, this left the Swarm without a means of replenishing itself. In time, Hive would have to choose one of these three beauties and make them the new queen of the dominion. 

With a thud and a clatter, the general of the north came stumbling into the room. His name was Grasshop, a grasshopper Invectid. It is said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and unfortunately there was none more inept than Grasshop. A well-meaning and loyal member of the Big Four, Grasshop was only part of the team because he was the head of the wealthiest family in the norther lands, and the only reason he was the head of the household was because his fifteen older siblings died in a house fire that Grasshop had, completely unintentionally, started. In spite of his inability as a leader, Grashop was actually well admired by his troops, often able to inspire them with boisterous, but incredibly diluted, speeches. He was also married to a lovely young grasshopper that would cook unheard of amounts of food for the men. 

Then, the final member of the Big Four arrived. Whatever kind of Invectid he was, even Mantid did not know, but his species was undeniable with his pale skin, purple eyes, and white hair. This was Buguese, general of the west. Buguese was the wisest of the group with his nose always buried in an acient tome, scroll, or other musty purveyor of knowledge and history. At his hip was a long, red broadsword, and his hand was fondly palming the hilt as he took his seat. Buguese was in charge of studying the great history of the Invectid, looking for new war strategies, as well as any secrets about the Oracle that they could use against her. 

With the Big Four now assembled, Mantid rose to his full height, and he cleared his throat. 

“My dear generals,” he boomed raspily, “it has been exactly three months since our last meeting. What have you to report?” 

The first to rise was Stag. He offered Mantid a respectful bow, and then he stood to attention. 

“First of all, my lord, it is good to be back. It is always lonely in the desert wastes, and it always makes me pine for the companionship of my fellow Invectid warriors.” 

Grasshop sniffled a little bit in his corner, though Buguese rolled his eyes. 

“However,” Stag said, his tone suddenly become mournful, “I fear that not everything I bring is good news. As of late, the Scorpid Mauraders have been getting more restless as of late, and they have been taking up some of our resources in the wastes. Naturally, I challenged their chieftain, Geiger, to a duel with the aim to bring them into the fold, but I fear I underestimated the underhanded tactics of the Scoprids. In the middle of the battle, the entire horde swarmed me. It was everything I could do just to escape, but Kabuto was sadly taken from me in the scuffle.” 

He got up from his spot, walked around the table, and he knelt at Mantid’s side. 

“My shame is greater than you can imagine, my lord Mantid. I have failed you, and I will accept any punishment you deem worthy of my disgrace.” 

Mantid tilted his head down towards him, and he gently laid a hand on the warrior’s shoulder. 

“Rise and return to your seat, friend. I am thankful that such a loyal warrior remains in my fold. Live and ponder upon your defeat. Then you will learn what is necessary to undo your mistake.” 

Stag deepened his bow in a sign of thanks, and he quickly returned to his seat. The next to arise was Hive. 

“The intel network my drones have been setting up continues to grow.” he reported, his mask distorting his voice. “Before long, we may very well have eyes and ears within the walls of Nuuma itself. My furies have also managed to round up those deserters, as you had requested.” 

Black Beauty chuckled. 

“They begged for mercy, but, as I’m sure you can guess, we have none to spare.” 

“Duly noted.” Mantid mumbled. 

He sighed, and then he looked to Grasshop. The blubbering grasshopper went rigid, and Mantid could that he was now sweating profusely. 

“And what of you, my general of the north? How are things in your territory?” 

Grasshop nervously tapped a finger against the table, humming an uncomfortable tune as he thought over what he would say. 

“Oh, we’ve...uh...we’ve been doing alright, I’d say. Morale is at an all-time high, it hasn’t been snowing as hard as it was the last time we met, and... Oh! I nearly forgot. Snookums is expecting now! Could be any day now!” 

“Congratulations, comrade Grasshop!” Stag declared from his side of the table. “I’ll be sure to fashion ceremonial birthing hatchet for your first born. It is a classic ritual amongst my kin.” 

“Oh, shucks, you really shouldn’t.” Grasshop said, looking flustered. 

Mantid cleared his throat. 

“Not that this isn’t good news, my dear general, but I was referring more to the mines in your region. Have they been secured?” 

Grasshop started to sweat again, and his finger began to beat furiously against the wood of the table. 

“Oh, that! Well, uh, that is to say, if you look at it from my perspective...” 

“Any time today, please, dear general.” 

Grasshop tugged at his collar, and he gulped. 

“The Spider Riders...they got into another one.” 

The meeting hall was suddenly flooded with disgusted groans, and Black Beauty hurled a flurry of insults Grasshop’s way while Buguese just shook his head. 

“Now just a minute!” Grasshop said quickly. “The mine was raided, sure, but the stones are still in my territory. We destroyed the bridge to Nuuma to ensure it. It’s just a matter of time now until we find them, that’s all. I’ve got my best guys on the job even as we speak.” 

“That’s an encouraging thought.” muttered Rose the fury dryly. 

Before the conversation went any further, Buguese finally rose. 

“At the expense of demeaning myself, I too have made very little progress since our last meeting. The keys still elude me, my lord, but I will not cease in my hunt until they are found, I swear.” 

Mantid turned to him, and he fixed a questioning eye towards the breedless Invectid. 

“You have been on this particular hunt since the Oracle was forced into her rest. Perhaps I should assign you some assistants. After all, this mission you have chosen to undertake may perhaps be the most important of all. Our future depends upon it.” 

“I assure you my lord.” Buguese replied insistently. “I am doing everything within our resources to find them. You have my word that the Oracle will never awaken again.” 

“It is for the better that she does not.” Mantid said darkly. “But she is far from our greatest concern at this time. What of our advancements upon Nuuma? Can any of you inform me of the status of the Spider Riders?” 

Hive stood again. 

“My spies report that their numbers continue to dwindle. As of now, there only seem to be four left: the twin royals, the captain of the guard, and an archer. In truth, my lord, I see this war ending very soon. We destroyed all of the forges, and there are little to no resources left to recreate the manacles necessary for the transformation.” 

“What of the spiders?” Mantid asked. 

“My men are hunting the monsters with a fever!” Stag declared while slamming a fist against the table. “Before long, our children will sing songs of the glorious defeat of our fanged foes.” 

“Don’t get too cocky, my enthusiastic general.” Mantid warned. “Such confidence could be an impediment rather than a blessing. Remember, if we are to ensure our destined supremacy, we must ensure the complete and total annihilation of our foes. We cannot rest until ever spider and every human has been wiped off the face of this planet.” 

He once again rose from his seat, and he raised a hand to the sky. 

“FOR THE GLORY OF THE INVECTIDS!!!” 

“GLORY!!!” his comrades cried out in unison as they raised their hands and plotted their next move.


	3. Hunter and the Manacle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we meet our future hero. Ah, he's celebrating his grandpa's birthday. Isn't he nice? But wait! What secrets is the old man keeping, and just where did this grumpy spider come from? What's more, why are there Invectids so close to his home? Yeah, you guys know where this is going.

Chapter 2: Hunter and the Manacle 

Hunter Steele never thought of himself as pitiable. Sure, being an orphan was bad, at least that’s what everyone seemed to make of it, but it never really bothered him. At least, not in a way that he really noted. After all, he was fourteen, practically a man, and men didn’t cry. Besides, he at least had his grandfather to take care of him, and there has never been nor will there ever be again a man as honorable, trustworthy, and full of love than his grandfather, Digger Steele. 

Digger was, in some past life, an archeologist that specialized in relics of the prewar era, before the Invectids began their assault. Digger loved everything old and dusty, which is probably why he refuses to accept that he himself had become yet another relic. Digger had taught Hunter everything he knew: how to fish, how to cut wood, and even how to snowboard. It was no secret that Hunter all but idolized his grandfather, and for that he felt perfectly content to be an orphan. 

So, at the sunrise of that brand new day, Hunter sprung out of his comforter and sheets, bounced into the bathroom, ran a comb once through his unruly red hair, and he raced for the kitchen. With nimble fingers, he cracked four eggs, started up the stove, and tossed the yokes into a cast iron skillet. With a second skillet, he started to fry a few strips of bacon, and he popped some bread in a toaster. In a matter of moments, a hearty breakfast had been prepared and set onto the table. Another moment later, Digger emerged from his room. Inspite of his age, the old man was still in fairly good shape without so mug of a bend in his back. He had had red hair once, he had told hunter, but it was now as silver as spider silk, as was his moustache and beard. His bright green eyes glistened in the dim light of the morning sun, and he smiled as he eyed the venerable feast prepared by his grandson. His nostrils danced as he took in the heavenly aroma. 

“My my my. If this isn’t a feast worthy of his majesty, King Lumen, then I will gladly part with my rare spider mandibles collection. Any particular occasion, grandson?” 

“Happy birthday, grandpa!” Hunter cheered excitedly. 

The old man laughed, and he and his grandson took a seat at the table. 

“You really didn’t have to go through all this trouble, Hunter.” Digger said as he placed a spoonful of eggs onto his plate. “As I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, I don’t really have much uses for birthdays anymore. Just another day like any other.” 

“Don’t be like that, grandpa.” Hunter objected through a mouthful. He swallowed. “Birthdays are the best. You only have so many, and the best part is...” 

“Oh, Hunter, you didn’t.” 

“Oh, I totally did! I found you the perfect gift! Just wait till you see it; it’s gonna be great!” 

Digger sighed wistfully, and he gave his head a playful shake. 

“By the oracle, by what good grace was I gifted with such a generous and caring grandson? Alright, then, let’s see it.” 

Hunter’s smile withered into a nervous grin, and he chuckled. 

“Uh, that’s kinda the thing. I don’t have it at the moment.” 

“Oh?” Digger asked curiously. 

“You’re always so good at finding things I hide.” Hunter explained. “Even when you aren’t trying to find them. So I kept it hidden until today. After breakfast, I’ll go out and get it for you.” 

Digger’s eyes narrowed. There was a strange tingle in his grandson’s voice, the kind that showed up whenever the boy was thinking about doing something that his grandpa wouldn’t approve of. 

“Uh, Hunter, what kind of present is this, exactly? Not anything dangerous, I hope.” 

“No, of course not!” Hunter insisted. “But it is a surprise. Come on, Grandpa, would I ever lie to you?” 

“Only if your lips are moving.” 

“Grandpa!” 

“I’m kidding. Mostly.” 

Hunter was thinking over a snippy rebuttal, but he was cut off by a knock at the door. Digger rose from the table and made his way to the front door, moving down towards the mail slot as a single envelope slipped through. He held it an angle Hunter couldn’t see, tearing it open and reading the letter. He began to hum a low, grim tone, a sound Hunter was all too familiar with. 

“You gotta leave again, don’t you?” 

At least once a month, Digger would receive letters from an unknown sender, which would result in him taking off for a couple of days to a few weeks. Digger would never tell his grandson where he went, and sometimes he would even come back beaten and bruised. 

Digger tucked the letter into his shirt pocket, and he looked to his grandson. 

“I’m afraid so. Just wrap up my present. I’ll open it when I get back.” 

Hunter’s head shot up. 

“Wait! You’re leaving right now?” 

Digger nodded. 

“I won’t be gone long this time, I promise. It’s just a matter that can’t wait.” 

“But you can’t just leave!” Hunter interjected. 

He sprung up from his chair, fell, hit his chin on the floor, and then scrambled back to his feet before running over to his grandfather. 

“Please, grandpa, don’t leave just yet! I can go get you gift right now! I won’t be long! Please promise that you’ll stick around till I get back. Please?” 

Digger stared at his grandson. His knew his sudden trips upset the boy, but he had never seen him so excited before. Whatever this gift was, it must have really been something that his grandson had wanted to give him. He pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time. 

“Well, I still need to pack, I suppose. That’ll give you at least an hour or two to get your gift. Just be quick about it.” 

Hunter pumped his fist victoriously, and he rushed to his room to claim his heavy snow coat. After properly dressed, he immediately went running out the front door and into town. Digger watched him go towards the local blacksmith shop, and that seemed to be the place. He shrugged and started towards his room to start packing. 

However, had he of remained for but a moment longer, he would have seen Hunter looking back before spinning on his heel and rushing towards the woods. If Digger had known where he was going, he certainly wouldn’t have let his grandson leave. Now, Hunter knew that leaving the village was a bad idea, especially since it sat on the rim of Big Four-member Grasshop’s territory, but he didn’t have the time to contemplate the danger. He was willing to fight a hundred times his own weight in Invectids if it meant grabbing that gift before his grandpa had to leave. 

He eventually reached his intended destination: the old mine shaft. In the past, it had been the chief source of commerce for his village when it still had diamonds. Now, there was nothing of value to be found inside. Or, so most thought. In truth, there were a few small treasures inside that Hunter had found one day while chopping firewood. After some brief exploration, Hunter had found what he thought was an old spider fang stuck in the wall, and now he was ready to retrieve it for his grandpa’s birthday present. After all, if it was one thing that the old man enjoyed more than dusty artifacts, it was battle spider anatomy. 

He stopped short at the cave mouth, and he quickly looked around. The last time he had been here, he had spied a lone Invectid wandering about. Where there’s one Invectid, there is always more, his grandpa would say. However, it seemed that the intruder was nowhere to be found, so Hunter decided to make his way inside. He was happy to see that his markers, crude caricatures of his own face scrawled into the wall face, were still visible. Now it was just a simple matter of following each marker until he came upon his quarry. 

“Grandpa is probably all packed up by now.” he mused quietly to himself, if anything to just stave off the empty silence surrounding him. “I wonder where he goes every time he gets one of those crazy letters, and why won’t he ever tell me what it’s all about? I mean, It's not like I’m gonna blab any of his secrets around town. He always tells me to be honest with myself and that I can go to him for anything, so why won’t he...” 

Hunter suddenly froze, and he fell silent. After listening carefully, he could hear it again: voices. 

“Can we hurry this up, already? It’s lunch time soon, and I heard Snookums is making that stew again.” 

“Oh, I love Snookums’ stew! In fact, I love everything Snookums makes. I tell you, I don’t know how the other guys fair in the east, west, and south, but the northern militia, without a doubt, has the best food in the entire Invectid army. Not to mention the best cook.” 

“You ain’t wrong about that one, Gary, but I’m sure we can all agree that the real lucky one is Lord Grasshop. If ever there was one worthy of such a lovely grasshopper it is, without question, our glorious general and leader.” 

“Isn’t he just the best, and to think he is trust us humble fleas with this important, secret mission. It is such a humbling and honorable feeling.” 

“Ok, enough chit chat, you two. The charges are set! Let’s blow this rock and carry out our mission before any stinking humans show up.” 

Hunter could feel the blood freezing inside of his veins. The mountain had become infected with Invectids. What was he to do? Run back to the village, that’s what he needed to do. He had to tell his grandfather! Rouse the neighbors! Start up a militia! They were being invaded, and he had to do something. 

But he did nothing. He just remained rooted there, completely mortified. He continued to stay in his little hiding place, his mind and body numb as he wrestled with this newfound revelation. Suddenly, there was a thunderous blast, and the entire cavern began to shake. Hunter braced himself against the wall, and it felt as though his teeth were going to rattle their way out of his own mouth. A few moments later, everything fell silent again, and Hunter could hear the Invectids hooting and hollering. 

“This is it, fellas! We’ve hit the jackpot!” 

“Wait till lord Grasshop sees this! Let’s see those know it all members of the big four look down at their noses now.” 

“Don’t hold your breath, Phil. Knowing that thankless jerk, Bugese, lord Grasshop’s contribution to this find will probably go unnoticed.” 

“Then we’ll just have to notice it for them. Come on, let’s have a look.” 

In spite of himself, Hunter’s fear slowly became curiosity. He recalled that there had been a sealed off section of the old mine, and he wondered if that may have been what these guys were looking into. With rational sense taking a backseat, Hunter carefully and quietly made his way towards the sounds of the Invectids. As he came to the next bend, he peaked around the corner, and what he saw was staggering. 

They had indeed blown away the sealed tunnel, and their find was definitely worth the excitement. The new hole gave way to a massive chamber with four tall columns holding up the ceiling. Each column was decorated with a stained-glass spider and in the center of the room was a tower and a set of stairs, and sitting at the top appeared to be some sort of altar. All three Invectids, with their backs to Hunter, were staring down at it, and it sounded like they were grumbling. 

“This don’t make any sense! That Bugese jerk said it was supposed to be here!” 

“Now don’t go getting upset, Frank. It’s gotta be around here somewhere.” 

Hunter chanced a glance downwards, and he spied something shining on the floor at the base of the tower. He could barely make out what it was, but he was certain he saw a crystal of some sort. He mustered his courage and made his way into the shrine chamber, being careful not to make even the tiniest peep as he approached the object. Whatever it was, it had to be what these goons were looking for, and anything Invectids wanted was something they did not need. With his eyes still trained on the three Invectids, he started to reach down for the object. 

He had barely touched it with a finger when the jewel inside of it began to glow. Before he knew what was happening, the jewel bathed him in light. He couldn’t see, he couldn’t hear: it was just nothing but the endless light. But then, an image began to become clear. Standing, or actually floating, within the endless void of light was most beautiful woman Hunter had ever seen. Her eyes were closed, her face serene, and her arms were outstretched as nonexistant winds blew through her hair. Her lips seemed to move, as though she were whispering something to Hunter, but he just couldn’t seem to understand. 

But then, just as quickly as it had come, the light and the mysterious woman residing within it faded. Hunter had to blink a few times to get his vision back. When he could see, he realized that he was still in the shrine. He looked at the spot where the object had been reaching for was, only to find that it was now gone. He looked about, and that was when he felt the new weight on his left hand. He lifted it up, and he was surprised that the object was now strapped to his hand. But, before he could panic, it occurred to him that he now had eyes on him. Very slowly, he looked back up towards the shrine altar, and he could see that all three Invectid warriors were looking directly at him, and none of them looked particularly happy. Not wasting a single moment, Hunter bolted to his feet and made a beeline for the exit. 

“He’s seen us!” he heard one of them blurt out. “We have to catch him before he can tell anyone about us!” 

Hunter put on an extra burst of speed, and in his haste he didn’t even see the spider fang that he come here for to begin with. 

…......................................... 

As Digger placed the last of his clothes in his knapsack, he took a moment to assess his situation. This wouldn’t be easy, and things were only getting more difficult the longer he stayed here. It was only a matter of time now that the Invectids would make their way into this village. He rummaged around the assorted mass of clothing and lesser trinkets until he came up with a small puzzle box. He held it up and studied it carefully. 

“So much trouble over something so small, and yet so powerful. Some days, I wonder why I even brought it here, knowing what I know.” 

He looked back to his back, and he could see a photograph of himself and hunter for his fifth birthday. Digger had taken the boy sledding for the first time that day, and Hunter had crashed and knocked out his two front teeth. However, there were no tears on his face, but rather the biggest smile a five-year-old had ever had. Digger too smiled. 

“That is why, and it has been worth it for every year I’ve been here.” 

He pulled out his pocket watch, and he checked the time. 

“Speaking of my grandson, where is he? Surely it doesn’t take this long to get a gift from across the street.” 

That made him pause, and he looked out the window. He watched as Mr. Tucker, the local blacksmith, walked into his shop...and opened it for business. 

“I’m such a gullible idiot!” 

Digger grabbed his cane, and he started for the forest, running as fast as his legs would allow. 

............................................ 

“HELP!!!” Hunter wailed as he went stomping through the snow. 

Behind him he could hear the three invectid warriors shouting threats at him and demanding that he stopped. Unfortunately, he had to. He cleared the treeline and came up upon a cliffside drop. Hunter skidded to a stop, and he peered down over the side to see nothing but a sheer drop several miles down. He turned back around to see that the invectids had caught up to him, and they had cut off any chance of escape. He gulped down a large lump in his throat, and he offered a weak smile. 

“Hey there, fellas. I don’t suppose we could just talk this out.” 

They said nothing, but they continued to approach him. 

“I mean, it’s not like I actually saw anything. In fact, I don't think I see you right now. So you really don’t have to...” 

They continued to get closer and closer. Hunter backed away, but he froze as his heel cleared the side of the cliff. Hunter’s heart hammered at the inside of his chest, and he began to look around for something, anything, that he could use to fight back. Eventually, his eyes landed on the strange device that had snapped onto his wrist. With his options nonexistent and back to oblivion, Hunter took a bold step forward, and he raised his arm with the object high in the air. 

“Back up!” he demanded in the bravest tone he could muster. “This is what you were looking for, right? Well, you better back off, or I’ll use it’s awe-inspiring power to destroy you all!” 

The three invectids paused for a moment, shifting glances between one another as they soaked in Hunter’s words. They pulled into a small huddle and they started to converse amongst themselves. 

“What do you think, fellas? He looks pretty serious.” 

“I say he’s bluffing. Look at him; he’s sweating worse than General Grasshop after he broke Snookum’s favorite chalice. If that’s even possible.” 

“I don’t know. Think about what Bugese was telling the general back at camp. If that thing is as powerful as he said, then that kid could cause us some real trouble.” 

“Bah, I don’t believe it. That may be the thing we were supposed to find, but it’s obvious that brat doesn’t know how to use it, or he would’ve done so sooner. Here, I’ll show ya.” 

The trio broke their conference, and one of them stepped forward. 

“I’m calling your bluff, you little punk. Go ahead, strike me down with your little trinket. I want to see you do it.” 

Hunter gulped. Aparantly these invectids weren’t nearly as stupid as he had hoped, and now he was left without any kind of plan. Still, if he was gonna go out, he would at least go out with a little dignity. 

“Ok then, invectid slime, you asked for it. Whatever happens next is on you.” 

He struck a warrior like pose, and then he pointed his hand high to the sky like he was reaching to claim the sun. 

“I call upon the power of the great and mysterious Oracle! Release your awesome power and smite these wicked beings!” 

Hunter waited, hoped, and prayed, but the device did nothing. The three Incevtids began to laugh viciously, and they once again started to close in on him. Hunter panicked, and he began to frantically wave his arm around, trying to make the object work. 

“Come on! Come on! DO SOMETHING!!! You’re some sort of super powerful artifact, right? Then do something super powerful!” 

Spider out. 

Hunter froze. Had he just heard a voice? 

Spider out. 

There it was again. Curious, Hunter looked down on the object strapped to his arm, particularly the glowing crystal resting just beneath his palm. 

Spider out. the voice whispered once more, and Hunter finally understood. He raised his hand once again, took a deep breath, and then he cried out with all the breath in his lungs. 

“SPIDER OUT!!!” 

The crystal in the device exploded to life, and a blue orb of light rocketed out from within. The orb smashed into each of the three invectids, knocking each of them over and even burying one of their heads in the snow. The orb zoomed around overhead until it finally came to a stop in front of Hunter, and then it assumed it’s true form. The orb expanded and sprouted eight legs, four on each side, and a pair of large fangs. The ghostly blue aura gave way to a darker blue and a white underbelly, and two long, yellow blades extended from the back as four sets of spinnerets formed. By now, the two invectids had freed their friend, and they turned to face the new arrival. Hunter couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of satisfaction as it was now his assailants now shaking in their nonexistent boots. One of them actually pointed at the figure before them. 

“It’s a sp... It’s a sp... It’s a sp... It’s a sp...!” 

The creature leaned in close, and the invectid could see its six eyes leered back at him through its green, armored visor. 

“Spit it out, scum.” it hissed. 

All three invectids clutched one another in combined terror, and they screamed in one voice. 

“SPIDER!!!!” 

They leapt up to their feet and they went sprinting back into the forest, disappearing into the foliage. When they were gone, Hunter physically deflated, his heart still pounding like a hammer. The size of the bullet he had just dodged was immeasurable. 

“Good grief! I thought I had really punched my ticket, that time. Glad that’s over.” 

He started to move forward, but he froze when he saw that the spider had now turned on him. He could almost hear the second proverbial bullet being loaded into the proverbial chamber. The spider sized him up carefully, and then it’s gaze finally landed on the device attached to his arm. The sight of it seemed to make the spider quiver with rage. 

“You! Where did you get that? Where is my rider? What have you done with him?!” 

Hunter once again began to sweat, and he started backing away only to remember the cliffside. 

“Woah, hold on there, pal.” he said while raising his hands defensively. “Let’s not do anything crazy. I didn’t do anything to nobody. I’m one of the good guys.” 

“Liar!” the spider roared. “You’re wearing his manacle! How did you take it off of him? Tell me where he is right now! Talk! I’m not afraid to hurt a child if it means getting information.” 

“I don’t know who you’re talking about!” Hunter insisted. “I did nothing wrong. Please!” 

“Wrong answer.” the spider hissed, and he coiled his legs preparing to lunge at Hunter. 

The boy’s eyes rolled up into his head, and he wondered if this was some sort of punishment for something bad he had done, though he couldn’t for the life of himself think of what it could have been. He could only brace himself and cover his face as he waited for the spider to seek his horrible vengeance. 

“Shadow, stop!” 

Suddenly, the spider froze, and Hunter unshielded his face. Stepping into view was Digger Steel, armed with nothing but his cane. Hunter’s eyes went wild with terror, and he waved his arms frantically to get his grandfather’s attention. 

“Grandpa, run! Save yourself! This thing is crazy!” 

Digger made no motion to run away, and instead looked fairly calm. He approached the spider confidently, stopping just an inch from its face. He then extended a hand, and he gently rested it upon the spider’s fang. 

“It’s been a long time, old friend.” 

The spider visibly relaxed, and it narrowed its gaze on the old man. 

“You’ve gotten old, Digger Steel.” 

Hunter could only stare at him, and perhaps the most relevant words for this moment seemed to spill out of his brain and into his mouth. 

“WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?!?!”


	4. Chapter 3: A hidden history

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter is safe, but it would seem he doesn’t quite know his grandfather as well as he thought. As Digger bears his soul and reveals hidden truths, two of the big four gather their forces and begin a march towards the mountain village.

Chapter 3: A Hidden History   
Grasshop shifted uncomfortably in the snow. It wasn’t because of the cold; his family had lived in these frigid mountains for fifteen generations mining for various precious minerals, in particular the Oracle crystals needed to create manacles. It was what had amassed his family’s spectacular fortune, as well as what got Grasshop into the Big Four under Mantid. No, it wasn’t the cold that made him uncomfortable. It was the company.   
Earlier that morning, before he could even eat the breakfast Snookums had work so hard to prepare for him, he had been unceremoniously removed from his home by Buguese, another of the Big Four. Truth be told, Grasshop hated Buguese. He was a very reclusive invectid, kept to himself, but there was an odd air about him. He was very much into the occult, and it was no surprise to see him clutching some beetle horns or a fragment of a carapace for good luck. It also didn’t help that Grasshop had not the slightest idea what kind of Invectid he was. His first instinct told him moth, but he had no wings, and, what’s more, he had lips. Most of not all invectids had mandibles or at least fangs, but Buguese had the mouth like that of a human’s. It was unnatural, and it made Grasshop uneasy.   
The cause for the visit was that Buguese was looking for something, but it was in Grasshop’s territory. Hence, he had asked for Grasshop’s help. That was something the grasshopper could respect, especially since the other big four probably would not have bothered asking him, so he had sent a trip of his men to the specified spot. Now it was merely a waiting game for when his men returned.   
Grasshop looked down nervously at his wrist as though staring an a nonexistent time piece. It had been nearly three hours now since the departure of his men. As simple of a job as it was, it shouldn’t have have been taking them this long. He was sure even Buguese was aware of this fact, and yet the strange invectid remained mute. Grasshop nervously tottered on the balls of his heels, and he started a nervous whistle. It quickly died into dry squeaking when he noticed that Buguese was looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Grasshop chuckled nervously, and he tugged on his scarf to release some sweat.   
“It feel hot out here to you?” he said, if anything just to kill the silence. “I mean, the highest it gets out here is maybe thirty degrees…you know, I can never remember what kind of temperature that’s measured in. Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin: They’re all Greek to me, which is funny since I don’t even speak Greek. Is Greek even a real language? I can’t think of anywhere it would be spoken. But I know a lot of other languages. I’m fluent in flea, classic grasshopper, some centipede, and I can bluff my way through termite…”   
“Why are you stalling?”   
Buguese’s tone was colder and far harsher than the worst blizzard this mountain ever or would ever see. It chilled Grasshop down to his carapace, and he started to stammer as he searched for an answer.   
“I have shown you the proper respect, Grasshop.” Bugese said tersely. “I entered your territory and politely asked for your assistance in finding something of vital importance to Lord Mantid’s cause. Rather than go yourself, however, you have sent three fleas, perhaps the lowest form of soldier in our entire army, to retrieve the required item. If I were any less educated, I would almost think you were trying to double cross me for a better position of power, as you did with your siblings.”   
Grasshop’s eyes went wide, and he was suddenly overcome with an all knew kind of heat. Anger.   
“THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!!” he bellowed with an indignant placement of his hands on his hips. “I may have caused that fire, but I assure you that I could care less about being the head of the family business! You wouldn’t be riding that high horse so much if you had to put up with my responsibilities, Mr. Wander-all-over-the-dadgum-place!!!”   
“I meant no disrespect...”   
“LIAR!!!”   
“I am just a little anxious to retrieve the item, is all. Lord Mantid has been quite impatient as of late, and the item in question will be of great help with my own personal research. I just hope that you are putting your best foot forwards with this venture.”   
Grasshop scoffed. If it was one thing he hated worse than brussel sprouts, it was someone talking about the accident. Even he wasn’t entirely certain what had happened besides the fact that he had woken up in the basement with smoke filling the room. He himself had barely gotten out alive.   
At last, salvation came in the form of his three men coming charging over the horizon. Grasshop breathed a sigh of relief, and he gave his scarf a haughty toss.   
“Lowest in our army, huh? Well, look who’s coming to deliver the goods, just like I promised.”   
The three fleas skidded to a stop, even tripping over one another as they came to rest at Grasshop’s feet. The grasshopper leaned down, and he offered his men a warm smile.   
“Ah, finally made it back. Good work, men. You can expect an extra serving at lunch. Now give papa the goods.”   
The three rose to their knees, and they each exchanged anxious glances amongst one another. At last, one of them came forward, and he tapped the ends of his fingers together nervously.   
“Uh, yeah, about that general. There may sort...kinda...maybe be a delay to the object’s...delivery.”   
Grasshop’s face fell, and he looked from one flea’s face to the other.   
“Phil, Frank, Gary, you’re making me look bad in front of our guest. Stop playing around and hand it over.”   
The three fleas exchanged more glances, and then, one by one, they exploded into tears. Grashopp jumped back, shocked by this display from his men, and he could see that their tears were actually freezing to their faces.   
“Forgive us, oh General!” blubbered Gary. “We have failed you in your hour of need!”   
“It isn’t our fault, boss!” Frank lamented miserably. “We found the shrine like you asked, but it was empty.”   
“EMPTY?!?!” Grashop gasped.   
He whirled around on Buguse, who continued to bare his nuetrally annoyed expression.   
“Hey, what are you trying to pull here? Here you are giving me the third degree, and the blasted place was empty from the getgo.”   
“I assure you my resources are quite legitimate.” Buguese replied in his defense. “If the item was not there, then someone must have taken it very recently.”   
“There was a boy!” chimed in Phil. “Some red head brat that spotted us. We chased him out to the cliffside, but the next thing we knew this enormous spider came barreling out and threatened to eat us. We barely escaped with our lives, milord.”   
This quickly caught Bugese’s interest, and he looked to the trio of fleas with renewed interest.   
“A spider, you say? My dear Grasshop, did you not mention there being a spider rider in your territory at the last meeting?”   
Grasshop started to sweat again, and he tugged at his collar.   
“Well, yeah, there was. But that one was a girl. There aren’t any male spider riders around here.”   
Bugese rubbed at his chin, and he hummed a thoughtful tune.   
“Grasshop, are there any human settlements nearby? Ideally, close to where your comrades found the shrine?”  
Grasshop wasn’t sure what was going on, but he thought things over.   
“Yeah, actually. It used to be a mining town back when you could find ore in this part of the mountain. Nowadays they just keep to themselves.”   
“Just what I wanted to hear. Take me there at once!”   
“Now hold on a minute!” Grasshop snapped. “This is still my territory, buddy. I’m the one giving orders around here.”   
He turned back to his men, cleared his throat, and he stood as straight as possible.   
“Atten-SHUN!”   
The three fleas bolted to their feet, each one saluting their general.   
“It has come to your glorious leader’s attention that those stinky humans down the mountain have taken something that rightfully belongs to us. Are we gonna stand for it?”   
“No sir!” the trio declared in perfect unison.   
“No we are not! We will go down to their village!”   
“Yes sir!”   
“We will face the enemy!”   
“Yes sir!”   
“We will be victorious!”   
“HOORAH!!!!”   
Buguese found himself at a bit of a loss. Mere moments ago, the fleas were little more than sniveling larva begging for forgiveness. But now, they actually resembled genuine soldiers, standing in reverence of a proud general. It would have been a scene of absolute patriotism if it weren’t for the fact that these people were so pathetic.   
“May we get going, then?” he inquired impatiently.   
“Most certainly!” Grasshop declared, now wielding a riding crop. Where had that even come from? “Alright, men! About face and forward march!”   
The fleas dutifully opened, and the four of them began to march through the snow. Buguese could only sigh as he started to follow.   
“I am surrounded by idiots.   
….............................................................................................   
“I refuse!”   
“Now, Shadow, quit belllyaching. It’s only temporary.”   
Digger had herded a bewildered Hunter and a still angry Shadow to an old stable just a small way outside of the city. Digger had originally used it to store horses long ago, but now it had just been collecting snow. This made it a perfect hiding spot for a ten-ton battle spider with a complex.   
“A warrior of my caliber deserves better than this!” Shadow insisted snippily. “I can’t stay here! I feel like a beast of burden just standing around in this hay.”  
“That hay is going to be the only thing keeping you warm until I can come up with something better.” Digger retorted. “Now stay put, hunker down, and shut up. We’ll be back in just a little while.”   
Shadow muttered something unintelligible, but he made no further attempt to refuse as Digger closed the stable doors. They are old, and the slides had rusted, so it took the old man a few minutes to budge them and slide them into place. With the deed done, he took a deep breath, and he placed a hand over his face.   
“Heavens to Betsy, what a mess! This could not have happened at a worse time. I’m going to be late at this rate, but there is no way I can ignore this. I suppose that means I have no choice.”   
He turned away from the stable, and he whistled to his grandson.   
“Come on, Hunter. We need to get back to the house.”   
He started to walk off, but he stopped when he realized that Hunter wasn’t following him. He looked back, and he could see that the boy was rooted to one place. His eyes were aimed at the ground, and he had balled up his fists while his arms stiffly remained at his sides. Digger grunted with frustration, and he turned about so that he was facing him.   
“Hunter, this is serious! We need to get back to the house right now.”   
Hunter looked up at him, and it was perhaps the most severe gaze he had ever seen the young boy hold. He could see a mix of terror, anger, and an unruly helping of confusion swirling around in his pupils, and it seemed the boy was having a hard time finding the words to convey how he felt.   
“Hunter, pleaese.”   
The boy stayed put, and he gave his head a furious shake.   
“No! No, I’m not going anywhere! Not until you finally tell me the truth! Sudden vacations. Mysterious temples. Gigantic grumpy spiders. Grandpa, just what the heck is going on? Tell me! I deserve to know.”   
Digger sighed, and he placed a hand over his face. This was the neither the time nor the place for such shenanigans. Things were only going to get even more complicated if they delayed for much longer, and who knew what kind of trouble was on the horzion. Then again, Hunter made a valid point. He had been keeping secrets from the boy, and he had been doing so since before he could even say the word grandpa.   
“Alright, fine, you’re right. I will tell you everything, but can we at least walk while we talk?”   
Hunter nodded, and he followed after his grandpa as they started back towards their house. Digger began thinking over his story very carefully, wondering where the best place to start would be. At last, he decided the beginning was as good as any.   
“First off, you remember what it is I used to do before I worked for you?”   
Hunter nodded.   
“You were an archeologist, right?” Hunter asked.   
“That’s right.” Digger replied. “I was a freelancer that took jobs from numerous members of the archeological community. I had always believed that knowledge was meant to be shared, so I never anchored myself to any one museum or university. That’s why mine isn’t a household name. I was also a bit of a loner in those days, and I didn’t like the idea of traveling with others slowing me down as I made the grab for a big treasure. As I would find out, it was that very attitude that nearly costed me my life, as well as change it forever.   
…....................................................   
Several years earlier...   
Digger ran as hard as his legs would allow, the cavern behind him quickly crashing down around his ears. Pressure sensitive traps, they were the bane of his existence. The entire temple was going to collapse on him and all for a crummy mask worth a small fortune. He knew the way out, so it was just a matter of how fast he could run.   
How fast could he run? Not nearly enough.   
With the exit just a few feet away, Digger tripped over something and crashed face first into the marble flooring. With no time to regain his footing, he resolved to cover the mask and his head as columns buckled, walls shattered, and the ceiling fell. What followed was several moments of earsplitting ruckus and chaos as dust, rubble, and centuries worth of history fell all around him.   
After a few moments, all again was still and quiet.   
The first thing Digger registered was immense pain, as well as a severe lack of mobility. After coughing out his lungs of dust, he blinked his eyes open and took in his surroundings. Two of the support columns that had fallen had collided with one another and formed a brace that supported the portion of the ceiling that would have crushed him otherwise. The bad news was that another column had landed on his leg, no doubt breaking or crushing it, and he could only make out a bare sliver of light through the wreckage ahead of him. He could feel a tiny breeze slipping through the cracks, but he couldn’t be certain just how much refuse he would have to claw through to get back out, and that was saying he could get his foot unjammed. He was trapped, and nobody knew he would be here. He had only seen the wanted paper in the add placed by the local museum, and, unlike usually, he hadn’t bothered to phone in for the job. Once again, his ego had gotten him into a tight spot, and if he died here then he had no one to blame but himself.   
As he continued to wallow in the folly of his own hubris, Digger’s ears twitched at a crunching sound. At first, he was afraid that the columns were giving way above him, but he quickly realized that it was footsteps.   
“Hello?”   
The voice was faint, but it was also close.   
“Hello!” it called again. “If you can hear me, call out!”   
Digger’s throat felt as dry as sandpaper, but through his cracking lips he managed to utter a feeble, “Here!”   
There were more crunching sounds, followed by the patch of light slowly getting bigger and bigger. At last, a pair of spider legs became visible, and Digger could barely make out the shape of a human standing next to a battle spider. It was a spider rider!   
“Remain calm, sir!” the rider declared. “We’ll have you out in a bit. Shadow!”   
The spider fired a pair of silk threads from its frontal spinnerets, and they wound around Digger’s extended arm. It started to pull, but Digger screeched at the sudden strain on his ankle. The rider called his spider to a halt, and he peered inside and noted the column. He brandished his weapon, an axial pike, and with two quick thrusts he cut the man loose and Digger was free.   
Digger gasped for air with a renewed vigor, taking out the mask he had claimed from the crumbled temple and inspecting it carefully for damages. Above him, he could hear his rescuer laugh while handing down a water skin to a parched Digger.   
“All of that trouble for a mask? Let me see: travels alone, searches for sacred relics that may very well not exist, and leaves an inestimable measure of destruction in his wake. You must be Digger Steele.”   
Digger nearly choked on the water, and he did his best to sit up while the spider treated his leg.   
“You know of me?” he asked.   
The rider nodded.   
“I’ve actually been hunting for you, and boy are you a hard guy to track down. King Arachna has requested your assistance in finding some rare and lost artifacts that would be better off not in the hands of the Invectids. Think you’d be interested? I promise you’ll be handsomely compensated.”   
Digger was indeed interested. Even after a near death experience such as he had gone through, the idea of his next adventure was far too tempting to pass up.   
“I’m your man, especially if is for his majesty, King Arachna the thirteenth. Lead the way, Mister...”   
“No mister, please.” the rider said with a wave of his hand. “This deal makes us comrades, and therefore friends. So, please, call me Quake.”   
…................................................................................   
“You were friends with Quake the Hero?!?!” Hunter exclaimed.   
They had finally reached the house and had slipped in through the back door. Digger quickly hushed him, and he ushered the boy into the bedroom.   
“Yes, yes, I was. Please keep your voice down before the neighbours overhear.”   
“Why did you never tell me this before?” Hunter demanded. “And, hold on a second, did you say his spider’s name was Shadow? As in...”   
Digger nodded.   
“That’s right. The very same spider you met only earlier this afternoon. After that day, I worked closely with Quake, and the three of us scoured the country looking for artifacts of great power.”   
He resumed packing his things, and he instructed Hunter to do the same. The boy was so enthralled by the tale, he didn’t even realize that he was already doing it.   
“You see, lad, what we were looking for were no mere trinkets and knick knacks. Shortly before she entered her regenerative slumber, the oracle left several objects behind and sealed them inside of mysterious puzzle boxes and scattered them throughout the Arachna Kingdom and beyond. If one was pure of heart and proved they were worthy, the box would reveal the secret to opening it, and the object would be there for the taking. Quake and I spent several years of our lives tracking down these boxes. It was just one glorious adventure after another, and I never wanted it to end. Quake was every bit the hero the world had come to see him as. He saved my life more than once, and I am proud to admit that I repaid the favor a time or two.”   
He paused for a moment as he allowed a wistful smile to part his lips as his mind drifted back to simpler times.   
“Those were some good days, but I suppose nothing lasts forever. Eventually, I met the woman that would become your grandmother, and I decided to hang up my adventuring belt. Quake returned to his old life of daring do and rescuing damsels from monsters. The rogue.”   
He laughed, but then his smile faltered.   
“That’s what made it all harder, really. You see, everyone that saw Quake saw him as the great hero, but I was the only one that knew him for what he really was. At the end of the day, he was a man, and like any man he was being slowly overcome by the most feared of enemies: age. We kept in touch, he and I, and through his writings I could see that his confidence was wavering. Spider riders were falling left and right, and, though he was trying his hardest to be the hero the people believed in, he just couldn’t keep up anymore. He knew that retirement was coming for him, and that meant that he only had time for one last grand adventure. Little did I know, that adventure would more or less be in my own backyard.”   
........................................   
Thirteen years earlier...   
Digger ran as quickly to the front door as he could. As he threw it open, there was Quake in all his heroic splendor standing in the threshold.   
“Digger!” the man cheered as he snatched up his friend in a spine-crushing hug. “So good to see you again, old friend. How have you been?”   
“I’ll be better when you let me breathe.” Digger gasped before Quake finally set him down.   
There came the sounds of footsteps, and Quake peered over Digger’s shoulders to see a middle-aged woman walking over carrying a baby.   
“Oh, and is that not your sweet Agatha I see, and carrying a little bundle of joy again. Would that not be that wonderful grandchild that’s been keeping you up all night? The one from the letters?”   
Digger laughed, and he took the child from his child.   
“Ineed-y, he sure is. Quake, old buddy, meet the next in line of the Steele family legacy.”   
Quake peered down on the tiny child with bright eyes, and a bark of laughter escaped his lips.   
“Wouldja look at the locks on this guy? As red as the setting sun. The mark of a warrior if ever I saw one.”   
“Now doncha be sticking up me darlin’ grandchild’s head with your funny business.” snapped Agatha as she swept in and reclaimed the child. “We have enough troubles living so close to the invectid border without you mucking things up with your adventurous who-ha and hob-knob.”   
Quake laughed and shook his head.   
“Oh, my dear Aggy, you still don’t like me, do you?”   
“And for good reason.” the woman said adamantly. “Jus’ look atcha! All dressed up in your armor, don’t think hiding your spider in that little doodad on your wrist hides your thoughts. You wanna drag my husband off on another of your crazy crusades, doncha?”   
“No, no, of course not.” Quake replied defensively. “Can’t a man just drop in and visit with his best friend and his kin? We won’t so much as leave the forest around the village, and you can expect to be home for dinner and not a second later. You have my word as a spider rider.”   
Agatha didn’t seem to like that, but before she could retort the baby started to squeal. After she excused herself, the two men stepped outside, and they started walking out of the village.   
“My lovely wife has a point, Quake.” Digger said with a wary stare. “I know you well enough to know when you need help. Is something wrong?”   
Quake fell silent, and he looked towards the ground.   
“I’m dying, Digger. The docs don’t know how long I’ve got, but I know it’s coming soon. A man can tell when the time is near.”   
The sudden news, as well the blunt delivery thereof, caught Digger by surprise, and he stammered over his words looking for a reply.   
“Does he know?” he finally asked.   
“Shadow? No, I ain’t had the courage. I practically raised him, and there ain’t nobody on Arachnis that idolizes me more than him.”   
He paused for a moment, taking some time to collect himself.   
“Aggy is right, you know.” he said. “I am here to drag you into another adventure, but this one is closer to home and shouldn’t take too long. There’s a mine around here, right?”   
Digger nodded numbly.   
“My son and daughter-in-law work in it. Why?”   
“I’ve got a source on the inside that found another shrine inside of it. It has a box, Digger, and I want my last heroic deed before I depart this mortal coil to be opening it. I’d like to think I’m worthy, and, well, I’d like to think that everything I’ve done is worth something, ya know? I mean, I didn’t do any of this for the glory, but...”   
He stopped short at the sounds of a ruckus. The two men ducked beneath some bushes, and they looked on to see the mine. Several invectid soldiers were marching in an out of the cave mouth, and there were several humans in chains being marched with them. Digger gasped when he spied his son being forced apart from his wife, and the two were taken deeper into the mine.   
“Invectids? Here? But they’ve never crossed the border before!”   
“Nothing lasts forever, I suppose.” Quake snarled. “They must have heard of the shrine just as I had. That’s gonna be a tight space to navigate, but I suppose it’s fine. Shadow doesn’t like crowds, anyway, and I’ll be able to maneuver better alone.”   
“Alone?” Digger gaped. “What are you babbling about? I’m going with you! My son and daughter-in-law are in there.”   
“And your wife and grandchild are back in the village.” Quake retorted. “Don’t argue with me, Digger, you know you’ll lose. If things go south in there, and knowing my luck they will, then somebody needs to stick around and get the village organized to either flee or fight. Let me worry about the invectids; I promise to do what I can. Now go! Go!”   
In spite of his better judgement, Digger dutifully obeyed, turning about and running back to the village, not stopping once until he exploded through the front door of his house. He got his wife, he got his grandchild, he roused the neighbors, and he gathered the men, and soon the entire village was fortified like a fortress. Then, they began to wait.  
….....................................................   
“We waited for three whole days.” Digger said as he drew his story to a close. “At the dawn of the fourth, I spearheaded a search party, and we investigated the mine. As far as we could tell, Quake had triggered a cave in, burying himself and the invectids. We saved as many survivors as we could, but, unfortunately, your parents were not among them.”   
Hunter stared up at his grandpa, tears now streaming down his face. When he had been young, he had asked his grandpa several times what had happened to his birth parents. He had replied many times that he would tell the boy when he was older and then walk off to be alone. Hunter couldn’t even process any of this, and it left him without words.   
“Your grandmother didn’t take the loss of your parents well.” Digger went on, now leaning on the bed for support. “It was hard on her, bless her soul, and she lasted far longer than a woman lesser than her. I cannot tell you how many times I had wished for death, wishing I could have replaced any one of them: my son, your mother, or my best friend the hero. But seldom does fate play us the hand we would like. To make up for it, I raised you the best I could, and I did so by keeping you out of my past life. If anything were to happen to you, Hunter, I...”   
He choked on his own words, and his body rippled as the emotions took their course. After a moment, he collected himself, and he looked to his grandson.   
“But I suppose there is no helping it now. After that little display on the mountain, I’m certain that any nearby invectids are on their way here even as we speak.”   
Hunter’s sorrow quickly morphed into dread, and his eyes became as wide as saucers.   
“What? But why? It’s not like we have anything they would want?”   
Digger turned back to his suitcase, and he rummaged around in it until he came up with a strange looking box. Hunter stared at it quizzically, and he looked to his grandpa for answers.   
“Your father was holding this when we found him.” Digger said. “I guess Quake found it and told him to take it. I’ve been trying to open it for years, and when that failed I went looking for people that could. That’s where I’ve been running off to. I eventually gave up and decided to surrender the blasted thing to the Arachna Kingdom where it’ll be safe. Somewhere out there is a spider rider that I was going to hand the box off to. The initial idea was that I was going to ride with them to ensure that the box arrived safely, seeing as how I had watched it for this long. That meeting was supposed to take place an hour ago, and now the Invectids are hot on our tails. If they knew about the shrine, then they must think that the box is nearby.”   
Hunter continued to stare at the box. So much trouble for something so small. It seemed kind of ridiculous.   
“Why not just let them have it?” he asked. “You said it, yourself. You have to have a pure heart in order to be worthy of it, and invectids certainly aren’t pure of heart.”   
Digger shook his head.   
“You don’t know the invectids like I do, Hunter, and you certainly don’t know anything about Mantid. I’ve actually met him once, long ago. If he wants something, he is going to get it as sure as the sun rises in the morning. With that in mind...”   
He took one of Hunter’s hands, and he placed the box in his palm.   
“Put this in a safe place. I’ll be counting on you to keep an eye on this until we reach the Arachna Kingdom. I know it is a lot to ask, but you are the only one I can trust with this job, Hunter. Promise me.”   
The box may as well have been made out of led as its weight seemed to pull the boy down. The poor boys head was swimming as he tried to process everything. This was all happening so fast. He had even forgotten that it was his grandpa’s birthday this morning.   
“Hunter, promise me!”   
Hunter’s head snapped upward, and he was quickly brought back to reality.   
“Yes! Yes, I promise! It will never leave my sigh!”   
Digger nodded.   
“That’s a good boy. Now, pack the rest of your things, and then we’ll...”   
Suddenly, there was a ruckus coming on from outside. Digger made a motion for Hunter to stay put and to keep quiet, and he made his way to the front of the house and peaked out a window. What he saw was enough to make his blood run cold. An entire battalion of invectid soldiers plus two of the big four, no less, were marching through the village gates, all armed and looking for a fight.   
“Great Oracle.” Digger gasped. “Guide us with your light.”


	5. Chapter 4: Severance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With invectids everywhere, Hunter is forced to flee the only world he has ever known. Now he must find the spider rider before he is caught, and all while trying to work with the grouchy Shadow.

Chapter 4: Severance  
It was the quietest the village had ever been. For nearly one hundred years, a village that had been dedicated to mining, snowboarding, yodeling contests, and the occasional avalanche, not a single person dared to so much as breath as the procession made their way into the square.  
Grasshop tromped proudly at the head of the parading invectids, but if one looked closely they could see Buguese stalking along with the frontal company. Two of the Big Four in their small little village with several well-armed soldiers standing in columns. It was more than enough to rattle everyone’s nerves, but none were more horrified than Digger Steel to see the horrible sight of enemies he had long since left in the past. Grasshop was fairly knew, it must have been his father or older brother back in the day, but Buguese he knew. A real monster, and one he did not wish to introduce his grandson to.  
Grasshop stepped forward, coming to a stop at the statue of the town’s founder in the center of the square. Coiling his powerful legs, he leapt high into the air, and he landed masterfully atop the founder’s head.  
“Attention all you worthless meatbags that we have graciously allowed to live close to our borders!”   
Digger rolled his eyes. A blowhard, just like his predecessor.  
“It has come to my attention that you have misused our decades old trust, and you’ve been holding out on us. Now, my friend over there,” he pointed to Buguese, who ducked his head at the word friend, “is looking for this fancy box that was lying in a cave on our side of the border. To our surprise, the box is gone, and this is the only settlement within a hundred miles of the cave. So, in light of this breach of trust, we are going to turn your village upside down until we find the box. If you have a complaint, kindly direct them to my mob of highly trained, and very hungry soldiers. Snookums was making her world-famous stew, and these guys had to skip lunch for this. Suffice to say, they aren’t happy about it.”  
A collection growls, snarls, and cries of outrage could be heard, and most folks shirked away immediately. Digger did the way, drawing the curtains tightly over the windows before locking the front door. He stood there for a long moment, sweating furiously as his brain was running a mile a minute trying to decide what his next course of action should be. Outside, he could hear shouts from the people, his neighbors, as a rowdy bunch of invectid soldiers tore into their homes with reckless abandon.  
“They’re all over the place!”  
That was Hunter speaking. The boy sounded more terrified than he had ever been in his entire life, and he had already been through a near death experience earlier that same afternoon. Digger now realized that he had a choice to make. He couldn’t forget his mission; the spider rider was somewhere out there waiting for the delivery.   
Could they help, maybe?   
No. There were far too many invectids, and not even Quake could take on this many. There was also his grandson that Digger had to think of. For most of the poor boy’s life, he had been putting precedent more on that infernal box than on his own flesh and blood. That needed to stop right here and now. This was going to hurt, but it was the only card he had left to play.  
So, he called his grandson over, knelt down, and he put a hand on his chest.  
“Hunter, I’ve got an important job for you. So important, the very fate of the entire Arachna Kingdom may depend upon it.”  
Hunter looked his grandpa directly in the eye. Digger had his full attention.  
“Here’s what I need you to do. I need you to quietly make your way out the backdoor. Forget about your things, they’ll only slow you down. Get to stable where we stored Shadow, tell him about the spider rider, and show him the box. He’ll know what to do. Stick with him, Hunter. Shadow may be a bit crass, but he will never leave anyone defenseless. He will keep you safe.”  
“Ok, I get it.” Hunter replied. “But…what about you? Aren’t you coming?”  
Digger flashed his grandson a sad smile before giving him a hug, holding him close for one last time.  
“I’m proud of you, Hunter. You grew up into a wonderful young man, and I know you’ll do great things in the future. But…”  
He released him, and he put him at arm’s length.  
“I’m holding you back. I’m old. I’ve lived a long, productive life, but you’ve only just begun. If I stay, I’ll be able to buy you and Shadow precious moments.”  
Hunter couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He shook his head violently, and he shrugged off his grandfather’s hands.  
“No! No, I refuse to run away!”  
“Hunter, listen to me…”  
“No! I won’t do it! You fought invectids before. You can do it again. I’ll fight with you. We can fight together!”  
“HUNTER, LISTEN TO YOUR GRANDFATHER!”  
Digger didn’t want to raise his voice given the circumstances, but he had no choice. Hunter was scared, but he had to see reason. They were almost out of time.  
“This isn’t a matter up for debate. Even if we did fight, it wouldn’t amount to a hill of beans. We can’t let the invectids get that box. Even if none of them can open it, they will find someone that can. I’ve seen it happen, and, if it has drummed up this kind of party, then the artifact inside must be of immense power. It mustn’t fall into the wrong hands, Hunter. You promised me.”  
Hunter felt as though his heart had just been ripped in half. This was all his fault. If he hadn’t gone to that stupid cave in the first place, the invectids would have had no reason to come here. Now, he was being asked to leave. To just abandon everything and everyone he had ever known, and all for some stupid box that nobody knew what was inside?  
But Hunter had promised. He promised his grandpa that he would guard the thing with his life, and Hunter knew better than to go back on his word. Took the box out from the inner confines of his coat, studying it for a moment before stuffing it back and wiping his nose on a sleeve.  
“Alright, grandpa. You can count on me.”  
Digger nodded.  
“Thank you, Hunter. Now you need to get going. They could hit our house any moment now.”  
Hunter nodded, and he made a beeline for the backdoor.  
“Hunter, one more thing!”  
The boy stopped, and he looked back. There stood his grandpa, his only family, looking back at him and smiling the biggest, broadest, most beautiful smile no other human being would ever be capable of mimicking. It was an image that would forever be burned into Hunter’s memory until his dying days.  
“I have one more favor to ask of you, Hunter. Whatever happens whenever you cross through that door, I want you to remember to never give up. The enemy can only claim victory when you have completely given up the fight. Promise that you will stand up for those less fortunate than yourself, and that you will never surrender no matter what the cost. Promise me.”  
Hunter had to fight against himself not to run back and seize his grandfather in a bear hug, determined to never let go. His legs had stiffened at the sensation of wanting to both stay and leave. He finally managed a half nod, and he forced down the lump in his throat.  
“I promise, grandpa. I’ll never give up. I’ll keep moving forward no matter what.”  
He paused.  
“And when this is all over, I’ll see you again! That’s a promise, too! So its gotta happen.”  
With that, Hunter finally managed to tear himself away, skirting out through the backdoor without so much as a sound. Digger now stood alone, and he could already hear the sound of pounding behind him as the invectids tried to tear his door down.  
“Oh, Hunter.” he sighed. “If only you knew the fragility of such promises.”  
Hunter kept running until he spied the stable waiting for him. From the sounds of things, he wasn’t being followed, but he didn’t want to chance it. Once he caught up with Shadow, then maybe things would start to turn around.  
When he reached barn, he threw the doors open, and it startled Shadow.  
“Hey, what gives!” the spider growled grumpily. “I was trying to get some sleep.”  
Hunter was panting and wheezing as he tried to catch his breath and articulate the instructions Digger had given him. What came out was a garbled mess that was not even the least bit intelligible. Shadow just stared at him before he finally got fed up. He fired a web from one of his frontal jets, successfully binding it around Hunter’s face and shutting him up. Shadow then moved up and angled a foreleg so that it was touching the webbing.  
“I’m going to take this off your lips.” he said slowly. “When I do, you are going to say what you need to say calmly. Bob your head once if you understand.”  
Hunter bobbed his head, and Shadow removed the webbing. Hunter spent a moment coughing and gagging at the waterproof webbing that had gotten stuck in his mouth, and then he looked to Shadow to address him.  
“The village is under attack! There are invectids everywhere!”  
“What?” Shadow snapped. “For crying out loud, kid, open with that next time. Let’s ride!”  
He fired some webs into the trees and prepared to jump, but Hunter stepped in front of him.  
“What are you doing?” the boy asked.  
“What do you think?” Shadow retorted. “I’m a battle spider. A warrior. The invectids are my enemy, and it has been a long time since I’ve had a decent fight.”  
Hunter shook his head defiantly.  
“We can’t stay. There’s a spider rider out there somewhere. We need to find them.”  
Shadow balked at him, which was a very strange sight given he was a spider.  
“You mean run away? Absolutely not! A battle spider never retreats, and there is nothing you can say or do that’s gonna convince me to…”  
Hunter reached into his jacket, and he pulled out the box. The moment Shadow locked eyes on it, he immediately fell silent. He cut his eyes from side to side, and he dropped his voice to a whisper.  
“Is that what I think it is?”  
Hunter nodded.  
“Grandpa found it sometime after Quake disappeared.” he explained. “Before you ask, neither of us know what happened to Quake, but this box is the whole reason the invectids showed up.”  
“And they’ll stop at nothing to get their filthy mitts on it.” Shadow growled. “I can’t let that happen. Quake would want me to keep it safe.”  
He moved himself about, and he exposed his back properly for Hunter.  
“Get on.”  
Hunter blinked.  
“You want me to ride you?”  
“Don’t make a big deal out of it. You aren’t my rider, and I’m still looking for Quake once we’ve sorted this nonsense out. You’d better hang on tightly, too, because I do not hold back on beginners.”  
Hunter gulped, and he clambered onto Shadow’s back without another word. The battle spider took a moment to adjust to the new weight, stretched each limb, and then he leapt high into the air.   
Hunter hadn’t been prepared for the sudden G-forces that threatened to peal the skin from his face, but he dug in his fingers to the edging of the spider’s armor. Shadow crashed to the ground, rattling Hunter’s teeth, but before he could recuperate they were off again. The further along they went, the thick the forest started to become. Shadow had then went on to use his spinnerets, snagging trees and pulling himself forward at incredible speed. How Quake had been able to ride like this all the time boggled Hunter’s mind, and he couldn’t wait for Shadow to finally touch down so he could puke his guts out.  
Eventually, Shadow reached a clearing, where he spun a web and pulled to a stop. Hunter all but oozed off of his back, and he slid down the web until his feet touched solid ground. He leaned against a tree and clutched his stomach, looking absolutely green.  
“You weren’t kidding about not taking it easy.” Hunter said squeamishly.  
Shadow made himself comfortable on his web, but he had his frontal jets aimed for the upper canopy of the trees should they need a fast exit.  
“With an entire battalion somewhere in this forest, one can’t be too careful. I had to be sure there was enough space between us and them to ensure that the box was protected. Now then, where is the spider rider?”  
Hunter looked up at Shadow.  
“You mean you don’t know?”  
Shadow scowled.  
“Why would I know? I’ve been trapped in the manacle for over ten years!”  
“Well I don’t know!” Hunter said defensively. “I’m still trying to process all of this. Grandpa didn’t tell me where he and the spider rider were supposed to meet.”  
Hunter began to pace up and down in the snow as he considered his next best possible move. At last, only one idea came to his head. He cleared his throat, and then he cupped his hands to his mouth and cried out at the top of his lungs,  
“CALLING ALL SPIDER RIDERS!!!”  
An instant later, Shadow tackled him to the ground while covering his mouth with a foreleg.   
“Are you crazy?” he hissed. “We are trying to maintain cover, and you are not helping by giving away our position!”  
Hunter pried away the spider’s leg.  
“Well, do you have a better idea? Where the heck is the guy? Surely they must’ve heard what was going on in my village. Heck, I can still hear them buzzing from here.”  
“Buzzing?” Shadow asked.  
Sure enough, there was a buzzing sound in the air. Shadow immediately backed off of Hunter, and he looked upwards. He spied a pair of shadows ducking in and out of the upper canopies, and his eyes went wide.  
“Move!”  
He started to run, and no sooner had he did a volley of energy blasts come darting out from the upper branches. Hunter narrowly dodged a few blasts before he caught up with Shadow. Then, two bodies broke from their cover. They resembled honey bees with small heads, white bodies, tiny limbs, and gigantic stingers. The stingers were shining bright red, and they fired off bolts of energy that zinged past the two as they fled for their very lives.  
“What the heck are those things?” Hunter cried as he ducked under another shot.  
“They’re drones.” Shadow replied. “They’re part of Hive’s crew.”  
“Hive?”   
“The king of the swarms, another of the Big Four. He loans out these buggers when other members of the Big Four or Mantid need some air support. They’re lightweights, but man are they annoyingly fast.”  
“Well we’re not gonna outrun them at this rate! You’re the big tough battle spider. Why not use one of your superpowers to do something!”  
Shadow scoffed.  
“Maybe I will.”  
Then, something strange happened. Shadow disappeared.  
Hunter actually stopped short, and he looked around to see if his eyes were playing tricks. Sure enough, the giant battle spider had completely vanished. His footprints were even no longer visible.  
“Woah! You can turn invisible? That’s amazing! So that’s why they call you Shadow, huh?”  
There came no reply. All of a sudden, Hunter’s smile faltered, and he suddenly felt more alone than he had ever felt before.  
“Uh, Shadow? You still there, buddy?”  
There was no reply.  
“Shadow! Seriously, this isn’t funny. If this is about me shouting earlier, I’m sorry. Come back!”  
By then, the drones were catching up, and Hunter had no choice but to start running.  
“Shadow! Where the heck are you? Come back!”  
But the spider said nothing. Hunter could only keep running and pray to the oracle that he managed to stay ahead of his pursuers.   
Eventually, he broke the tree line and was in open air. Unfortunately, the path gave way to the bridge that crossed the chasm and led into the next region. The problem: the bridge was gone. Utterly destroyed. Hunter once again found himself trapped on the edge of a cliff with invectids blocking any chance of escape.  
“Twice in one day.” he muttered dryly. “Gotta be some kinda record.”  
He slowly turned about to face the drones, their stingers aimed directly at him.  
“I don’t suppose you guys listen to reason?”  
The buzzing intensified, and their stingers began to glow bright red.  
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”  
Hunter hunched down and covered his head, awaiting the inevitable while wishing to just see his grandpa one last time.  
But then, there came a sound, and it seemed to come from the chasm behind him.  
“Drop!”  
Before Hunter even knew what he was doing, he obeyed, and a large…something flew through the air before landing over him. Cracking open one eye, he spied a pair of spider legs. Pink spider legs, to be exact, and they were attached to a large battle spider that now shielded him. There were two soft twangs, and a moment later the drones hit the ground with glowing arrows of light sticking out of them. There then came a soft thud, and a pair of feet came into view followed by a hand.  
“It’s safe to come out now.”  
The voice was female, and also human, which made Hunter sigh with relief. He accepted the hand, and he dragged himself out from under the spider. His savior turned out to be, indeed, a human girl. Surprisingly, though, she appeared to be about his age. She stood a full head taller than him with her strawberry blond hair done in a spiky bun. She was dressed in a pink battle garment with blue spaulders covering her shoulders and hips. There also appeared to be tiny wingers on he back and on the fringes of her white boots. In her right hand she held a bow, and her right arm held rectangular short shield. Looking behind himself, Hunter could more clearly see the heavily armored pink and white battle spider. It had slightly shorter legs and shorter fangs than Shadow, but it was still a sturdy looking beast. There was simply no question about it. This was a spider rider and her mount.  
“Lucky thing we were around when you showed up.” the spider rider said. “We were trying to find a way across the ravine. You ok? Any injuries I should tend to?”  
Hunter was in a bit of a shock, not quite certain what to make of any of this, but he did his best to answer.  
“N-no. No, thank you, I’m fine. You really pulled my bacon out of the frying pan, back there.”  
The spider rider offered a laugh.  
“Don’t mention it. It’s what I’m here for. My name is Corona, and this is my partner, Artemis?”  
“How do you do?” the battle spider greeted with a small curtesy, their voice revealing to be female. “What might your name be, young man?”  
“Hunter. Hunter Steele.”  
Corona’s eyebrows wiggled at the mention of his name, and all of the sudden she became very interested.  
“Steele? As in, Digger Steele?”  
Hunter nodded.  
“He’s my grandpa.”  
That was when it sunk in, and he remembered the whole reason he was out here to begin with. He frantically rummaged around in his coat until he took out the puzzle box his grandfather had given him.  
“He wanted me to give you this! You’re the spider rider that was supposed to meet him, right?”  
Corona nodded, and she accepted the box.  
“I was expecting him hours ago. I could see smoke rising up, so Artemis were coming to check it out.”  
Hunter blinked. Smoke?  
He did a quick about face, and his heart shattered. Coming from the direction of the village, there was a massive column of black smoke rising up towards the sky. He started to run forward, but Corona was immediately standing in front of him.  
“Don’t, Hunter! There’s nothing you can do!”  
“Get out of the way!” Hunter demanded as he tried to storm around her. “I gotta get back! Grandpa needs me! They’re all in trouble! If I don’t do something…”  
“It’s already too late!” Corona said while grabbing Hunter’s shoulders, holding him still. “Hunter, listen to me. Invectids don’t take prisoners. No witnesses, no prisoners: that’s their creed. I’m sorry.”  
Hunter became horribly still. He searched Corona’s eyes, but he found no sign of deception. She spoke the truth; a truth to terrible to even consider. A terrible, wrenching, turning feeling began to build in the bottom of his gut, and he could no longer deny what it was that he was feeling as he sunk to his knees.  
This was all his fault.  
He should have just let his grandpa leave that morning. Who cared about a dusty old spider fang sticking out of a wall? That was pitiful excuse for a birthday gift! All of this happened over the stupidest, most pitiful excuse for a birthday gift a grandkid had ever given their grandpa. He was to blame, but everyone else paid the price.  
Corona watched the boy crumble, and she wished that she could read what was going on in his head. She wasn’t even remotely prepared to deal with this. At least, not here. Where there were drones, there were more, heavily armed invectids quick to follow. This place was no longer safe, and they had to get out of there before they were spotted.  
She knelt down, placed her hands on Hunter’s shoulders, and she looked him squarely in the eye.  
“Hunter,” she began, her tone even, “we need to go. You can come with me. The bridge is gone, but I know a way back to the other side of the ravine. You’ll be safe in the Arachna Kingdom.”  
Hunter said nothing, his eyes downcast and his heart heavy. Corona could only take his silence as a yes, and she gently helped him to his feet and set him down again on Artemis’ back.  
“I’m gonna walk.” she told her spider. “Take it easy with him.”  
“Of course.” Artemis replied.  
Hunter remained perfectly still on Artemis’ back. He didn’t seem to even know what was happening anymore. He was completely in shock.  
Corona sighed, and she hugged her arms as a fresh burst of cold air cut through her. She shivered, and she looked up to see the clouds rolling in.  
“This isn’t good. A storm is coming. Hope we get to the other side of the ravine or at least find some shelter before it hits. Let’s move out.”  
With that, the new trio made their way off into the coming storm. But, little did they know, they were being followed.


	6. Chapter 5: Licking wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter’s heart is broken, and a blizzard has halted their progress completely. Fortunately, Corona is there to offer her condolences and to ease his pain. But the loss of a village may very well be the least of the worries. Shadow must act quickly!

Chapter 5: Licking Wounds.  
Before long, a blizzard had kicked up around the mountain, and Hunter, Corona, and Artemis were forced to take shelter in a small cave. Hunter had still not said a single word, but Corona was patient. He needed some time to think and collect his thoughts. It was clear that a lot had happened to him, especially judging from that dusty old manacle he was wearing. From what she could recall, Digger Steele didn’t have a manacle, nor had he ever been a spider rider. So, why was it that his grandson had one? In that case, did he have a battle spider? Perhaps not, otherwise she wouldn’t have found him in such a precocious situation.  
Before long, she and Artemis had managed to get a fire going, and Artemis spun her spider silk to make makeshift blankets for the two humans. Corona draped hers over her own shoulders, and she carefully draped the other Hunter’s. His tear-stained cheeks seemed to sparkle in the weak light created by the fire, but she could see him shiver from the cold. She sat next to him, tenderly extending an arm around his shoulder. Artemis followed suit by placing her large body on the boy’s other side, and the trio shared one another’s warmth as they listened to the wind howl outside and watched the snow build at the entrance.  
After a few moments of silence, Corona sighed, letting a string of fog slip past her lips.  
“I’m sorry, Hunter.” She said softly. “I understand how you must be feeling. You aren’t the first to lose friends and family to the invectids, and chances are you won’t be the last. Not so long as this stupid war keeps going.”  
Hunter said nothing. He just stared at the fire while trying to ignore the biting cold that was nipping at his cheeks and nose. Corona tilted her head back, trying to think, and then an idea came to mind. She made a motion towards Artemis, and the battle spider angled the satchel tied to her side so that Corona could reach in and retrieve the item she needed: a wooden ocarina with a spider painted onto its surface. After clearing her throat and moistening her lips, she put the instrument to her mouth, and she began to play.  
The tune was one she had learned when she was very young; a song of the summertime and the warmth of day. The low, soft tones of the ocarina told the story of a gentle breeze carrying the light of the sun to all, leaving out no one in the plentiful bounty. It told of a quiet, babbling brook whose refreshing waters cooled the spirit and calmed the mind, bringing about a feeling of peace. Finally, the tune whispered about the mournful hope of night fall, speaking of the departure of daylight and the coming of night while promising the coming of the morning sun and the happiness it brought.  
As the song was coming to an end, Corona could see out of the corner of her eye that Hunter showed signs of improving. He was sitting a tad straighter, and the long lines on his face had shortened significantly. After a while, he looked to Corona.  
“That was…really pretty. I’ve never seen an instrument like that before.”  
Corona offered him a warm smile.  
“Thank you. My aunties gave this to me when I was little, and they taught me that song, too. We played it at the summer festival every year back in my village.”  
Hunter made a face at her.  
“Aunties?” he asked.  
Corona nodded.  
“My parents died when I was really young. An invectid attack, not unlike what happened to you. I was taken in by a pair of sisters, and they became my aunties. Everything I know about music, art, and literature I learned from them. It was also because of them I discovered my manacle.”  
She held the device up for emphasis.  
“It was the only thing I had left connecting me to my parents. Everything else was destroyed. When we found it, I met Artemis, and that was when my real training started. This is actually my first mission as a full-fledged spider rider.”  
Her smile wilted.  
“As you can see, it isn’t going very well.”  
Hunter stared at her a moment, and then he offered her a weak smile.  
“Well, I guess you aren’t doing too bad of a job. I mean, I probably would have been exploded if it weren’t for you. So, thanks for that.”  
Corona actually laughed.  
“No problem. It’s my duty after all. Though, that does beg the question of why a swarm of invectids was chasing you. I get that you had the puzzle box, but how was it you were out there all alone? Didn’t you have anyone backing you up?”  
Hunter’s countenance quickly turned sour.  
“I did until that chump battle spider ditched me.”  
Artemis’ head shot up.  
“Battle spider?” she asked. “You were traveling with a battle spider, and they dared to abandon you?”  
Hunter nodded.  
“The jerk had the ability to turn invisible. I guess I kinda walked into it because I was telling him to use whatever special powers he had, but he totally flaked on me at the last possible moment. If you guys hadn’t of shown up when you did, I’d have been bug chow.”  
Artemis cut loose with a shrill, beastly cry, and she snapped her fangs angrily.  
“The nerve! The absolute gall! How dare this creature call himself a spider when he abandoned a child in the middle of combat!”  
“Hey, who are you calling a child?” Hunter snapped. “I’m fourteen years old. I’m a man!”  
Artemis stared at him blankly, her fangs twitching slightly.  
“My mistake, young man.” she made sure to annunciate the last word. “Never the less, that does not excuse this battle spider’s behavior. It simply betrays everything we believe in. Protect and serve with silk and fang: that is our creed. The fact that he would ignore it to save his own hide is the worst offense a battle spider can commit.”  
Hunter sighed, and he looked down at the manacle attached to his wrist. He had tried to pry it off a few times while they were traveling, but it held firm. If it really had belonged to the warrior hero, Quake, then why was it had stuck to him? Then again, he probably wouldn’t have even been in this mess if he hadn’t been poking his nose where it didn’t belong.  
“I wish I had never gone into that stupid mine.” He muttered. “If I hadn’t, then none of this would have happened. The invectids wouldn’t have come into my village, my grandpa would be celebrating his birthday, and everybody would still be…”  
He was cut short when Corona suddenly grabbed him in a hug. She held him tightly, and she even patted him on the back. It was an effective move, and it left the boy speechless.  
“You shouldn’t say things like that.” She whispered into his ear. “None of this is your fault. Sometimes, bad things happen, and you just have to move on. It stinks, but that’s just how it is.”  
She released him, and she sighed.  
“We really should get some rest. That storm isn’t dying down anytime soon, so we’ll probably be here all night. The best thing to do now is try to stay warm. When it’s calm, we’ll work on making our way back to the Arachna Kingdom. You can come with us, Hunter. I’m sure his majesty can put you up somewhere.”  
Hunter leaned against the cave wall. He was absolutely exhausted, and not even the biting cold could keep him awake.  
“I don’t want to be a burden.” He said drowsily.  
“Nonsense.” replied Artemis. “It is because of you that the box was kept safe. That in and of itself is deserving of some kind of reward. If nothing else, we owe it to you to ensure that you stay safe and protected. Now then, young ones, you should get some sleep. I will take first watch.”  
She spun another silk blanket, this one much larger and a tad thicker, and she carefully draped it over the two of them. Corona was quick to snuggle into it, pulling in her arms and legs for good measure. Hunter curled up into a tiny ball, ignoring the hard stone that made up his pillow, and he listened to the bluster of wind before he slowly closed his eyes. The last thing that came to his mind before dreamless sleep was the face of his grandpa. How much he wished that he could see him again. To hug him, hold him, and never let him out of his sight. He also quietly cursed Shadow. Wherever the jerk had disappeared to, figuratively and literally, he just hoped he never saw that grumpy, good for nothing spider ever again.  
…………………………………….  
“Hunter! Hunter, where are you?”  
Shadow was used to navigating the most difficult of terrain, but this blizzard was proving to be a true test for his abilities. Visibility was all but nonexistent, and the joints in his legs were starting to freeze over. However, he was a much more durable figure than Hunter, and the idea of that frail little brat being alone in this squall with invectids everywhere did little to settle his conscience.  
What had happened was that there were more of those drones than just the two. When he had gone invisible, he had been trying to sneak up on the little buggers and get them by surprise. Unfortunately, no sooner had he dropped his guise was he ambushed from behind by three more. After a very annoying bout with his aggressors, Shadow had taken off to look for Hutner, only to find that he too had managed to dispatch his pursuers somehow. By then, the snow had kicked up, and any tracks he could have used to find the boy had been covered. Now he was wondering aimlessly in a blizzard looking for an ungrateful brat that had an important artifact that could never get into the hands of their enemies.  
“And all while I’m still trying to find Quake.” The battle spider grumbled as he broke off some ice from his back legs. “How did that little ankle biter get his manacle anyway? Digger knew something, I’m certain of it, but I get the feeling asking him about it may no longer be an option. Good grief, what a mess!”  
He was pulled from his rantings when he heard the sounds of footsteps crunching in the snow. Thinking them to be Hunter’s, he quickly scurried through the snow to investigate. After a while, he hunkered down, and he peered through a pair of trees. The footsteps did not belong to Hunter. Instead, Shadow had found a small, makeshift camp infested with invectids. He watched them go too and fro as they went about gathering firewood for the large bonfire in the middle of the camp.  
“Invectids don’t take prisoners.” He mused to himself. “But, if they did find Hunter, they might try using him to open the box. Fat chance of that, but it’s worth checking out.”  
With that, he reinitiated his camouflage, and he made his way into the camp. It wasn’t easy for a giant battle spider to slink around stealthily, even during a blizzard and while invisible, but he managed to make his way over to the largest tent. Inside, he could make out two shadowy shapes casted by the light of an oil lamp. One of the shapes sneezed, followed by the other sighing.  
“How is it that you managed to get a cold? You have lived in these mountains all your life.”  
“Shut up, you pampered poacher! You don’t see me storming your territory and telling you how to do your job!”  
Shadow immediately recognized the voices as belonging to Buguese and Grasshop of the Big Four. They were voices he hadn’t heard, nor did he ever wish to hear, in a long time. Frankly, he was surprised that Grasshop was apparently still in power. Never the less, he continued to listen.  
“I don’t know why you’re complaining.” Grasshop went on. “It’s not my fault the box wasn’t there, and it was your idea to attack the village anyway. It was MY men that got injured in the scuffle.”  
“Be that as it may,” said Buguese, not sounding the least apologetic, “there isn’t a doubt in my mind that the box is somewhere on this mountain. I managed to interrogate one of the villagers, and they had said that one of their number wasn’t among them. The red headed boy your soldiers mentioned. He must have the box.”  
“So they haven’t found him yet.” Shadow whispered to himself, sounding genuinely relieved.  
“Well there’s not much my men can do about it while a storm is kicking about.” Grasshop said sardonically. “What’s even in this box, anyhow? You’re sure going through a lot of trouble to get it.”  
“All the more reason to keep the contents a secret.” Buguese replied nonchalantly. “We can’t be too careful. There’s a spider rider out there somewhere, and we can’t risk them finding the boy first. Is there truly no way to move about in this storm? As I said before, you have been living here all your life.”  
“Yes, I have.” Grasshop said. “And trust me, you don’t want to be in the thick of this unassisted. My uncle Binky got lost in a storm just like this. Lost a wing, three fingers, a toe, and both of his mandibles.”  
“The storm really did all of that to him?”  
“No, slipped on some ice.”  
Shadow could hear Buguese give an exasperated groan.  
“Keep your pants on, Buguese. Sheesh, you have no sense of humor. Like I said, no invectid worth his salts would ever go out into a blizzard like this unassisted. Fortunately, I had just the thing for such an occasion.”  
“That being?”  
“I recommissioned one of my old Spider Killer machines. I had been fixing it up in my spare time, giving it some proper upgrades and little tidbits like that, and it is actually some of my best work. All I got to do is turn it loose, and it will hunt the nearest spider to the four corners of the world. That boy was traveling with a spider, remember. It is only a matter of time that it finds them, and I personally programmed it to bring the boy back to me.”  
Shadow was done listening, and he darted back into the forest as quickly as he could. A spider killer. Just saying the name sent chills throughout his exoskeleton. War machines designed for the sole purpose of killing battle spiders, wild or otherwise. If there was one truly out there hunting for him, then this was no longer just a simple rescue mission. It was now a quest for survival, which only made finding Hunter that much more important. They had to get off this mountain and to the Arachna Kingdom as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would just be another trophy on Grasshop’s wall, a fate far worse than death, and the invectids would have a potentially disastrous tool added to their arsenal. With the winds picking up again and the snow becoming thicker, Shadow called out Hunter’s name once more, regardless of how vain his attempts were.  
“Hunter! Hunter! Where are you?”


	7. Chapter 6: Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter and Shadow are reunited, and it does not feel so good. But things only go from bad to worse in the form of a monstrous machine known as a Spider Killer, followed by a harrowing assault from their enemies. But not all is lost as Hunter digs deep within himself and summons a power the likes of which he has never seen before.

Chapter 6: Destiny  
The next morning, the storm had finally broke. Hunter, Corona, and Artemis were slowly making their way through fresh snow. Both humans were riding atop Artemis’ back, the spider’s longer legs being much adept for the thick snow banks. As they made their way, Corona told Hunter more and more of the Arachna Kingdom. Hunter hung on every word as Corona spoke of the city state, wherein visitors from all around Arachnis came and gathered to trade, to the many festivals and fantastic foods there were to sample. But the highlight of the discussion was when she spoke of Arachna castle. That was where they were going to take the box, and it was where Hunter would be staying for the foreseeable future. Leaving the village had never really been an option Hunter had considered, but not even in his wildest dreams did he think he would ever visit a castle, never mind live in one for a short while.  
“And you’re sure it’s ok?” he asked. “I mean, I don’t wanna sound ungrateful, but it almost seems wrong for a commoner to even set foot in a king’s castle.”  
Corona smiled.  
“Actually, it’s more like prince’s castle. Prince Lumen never was fully coronated as per his request, and he’s a very relaxed fellow. You’ll really like him.”  
“He’s giving me a warm place to sleep.” Hunter said bluntly. “That’s enough reason to like anyone.”  
Their conversation eventually wrapped up into small talk until Artemis had to call a halt. It was exhausting to have to walk in such deep snow with two passengers, so the trio broke camp and set out to make lunch.   
Whilst Artemis took refuge under an outcropping of rocks, Hunter and Corona made their way into the forest to gather firewood and hunt wild game. This gave the boy an opportunity to repay Corona and Artemis’ kindness, if not to show off a little. After all, Hunter had lived on this mountain since he was born, and his grandfather had been its master. Before long, Corona was effortlessly knocking arrows into some snow hares, and they were both walking back with armloads of the driest lumber they could find. Soon, they were all gathered around a small, but warm fire while dining on some hot rabbit meat. Artemis was especially grateful, though Hunter could have done without seeing how spiders ate. First, they bound their food in a cocoon of spider silk, leaving just enough space so that the meat hung in the air, and then they shoved their fangs into the cocoon and filled it with corrosive venom. Afterward, they would drink the contents through a small hose connected to their mouths, and it even made a sickening slurping sound. Suffice to say, Hunter didn’t have much of an appetite while in the presence of the large spider.  
“So,” Hunter said in an attempt to stir up conversation, “what is the plan, exactly? You said the bridge is out.”  
“The bridge to the seaport is out.” Corona corrected. “I had intercepted a shipment of oracle crystals that Grasshop’s men were harvesting from the mountain. There’s a smith in the kingdom of Nuuma that knows how to make manacles. I was trying to get them to the port, or at least on the way, as a sort of side quest to my overall mission.”  
“A quest I had insisted was too much for you.” said Artemis matter-of-factly. “This is, after all, your first field mission. Remember the lion that bit off more than he could chew.”  
Hunter made a face.  
“Huh?”  
“A story my aunties used to tell me.” Corona explained. “Supposedly, there was once a lion that discovered a mountain of food. Being a greedy glutton, he immediately feasted upon the bounty, intent on nothing else than to devour the whole thing. But it was all a trap, and by the time he sees the hunter he is already too fat and sluggish to avoid his spear. It’s basically a fable that speaks against getting a swelled head about things.”  
“Which you most certainly did.” Artemis scolded. “And all to impress Igneous, no doubt.”  
“Igneous?” Hunter asked.  
“The senior spider rider back at the palace.” Corona explained. “He was…noticeably against my becoming a spider rider.”  
“Why?”  
“I would like to say that it was purely for my age.” Corona said with a slight edge. “But, apparently, he thinks that a woman’s place is at home and not on a battlefield.”  
“Jerk.”  
“Indeed.”  
“I don’t see anything wrong with that.” Artemis piped in. “Don’t get me wrong, he has no right to tell you how to live your life, and you certainly deserve to be a spider rider. I just don’t understand why you get so hung up on the idea of marriage. What’s so wrong with finding mister right, settling down, and maybe one day…”  
“ARTEMIS!!!”  
Corona had become as red as a tomato, and she tossed the remnants of her rabbit at the battle spider. Hunter had to bite his tongue to hide a smirk as Corona shot daggers at any that dared to look her way.  
“I am nowhere near close to old enough to even think about that sort of thing. I just started my career as a spider rider. I’m not ready to hang it up just yet. And you!”  
She whirled on Hunter.  
“Not one word about this. Ever!”  
Hunter raised his hands defensively, and he made a motion like he was zipping his lips. That satisfied the young lady, and the three of them went back to eating. Before long, the sun had reached the middle of the sky, and it felt slightly warmer than it did before. Some of the snow had started to melt, and that promised an easier journey for Artemis. She rose up to her full height, and she stretched her limbs as far as they would allow.  
“Oh, my aching joints! I can now see why I was born in the west. This snow and ice is absolutely dreadful. How I yearn for the warmth and comfort of a green, mossy field.”  
“I figure I’ll be saying something similar once we get there.” Hunter said as he and Corona hopped onto her back. “I’ve been surrounded by snow for so long that the idea of actually seeing grass sounds crazy to me.”  
“You’ll love it.” Corona assured him. “Just a few clicks ahead is a trail that will take us down the mountain and into the valley below. From there, it’ll be just a few days until we arrive at the Arachna Kingdom.”  
Suddenly, Artemis froze. She cut her eyes from side to side, and then she motioned for the two humans to get off.  
“What is it?” Corona asked while brandishing her bow.  
“I have been leaving a thread behind to detect any possible pursuers.” Artemis explained. “I just felt a twitch in the thread. Twenty meters and closing.”  
“Roger.” Corona said. “Hunter, take cover. We’ll handle it.”  
The boy didn’t need any further prompting. He ducked behind a tree, and he watched as Corona mounted Artemis, and the two of them struck a defensive pose. Hunter couldn’t help but marvel at just how in sync the two of them were. Every little movement, from how Corona pulled on the string of her light bow to the way Artemis planted her legs, was precise and calculated for maximum efficiency. They were a well-oiled machine, and they were ready. Hunter peaked towards bushes where the danger seemed to be coming from. All of a sudden, they began to shudder and shake, and Hunter could just barely make out the silhouette of what it was. When it was revealed in the full, however, a hot anger boiled into the boy’s gut.  
“YOU!”  
“You?”  
Hunter exploded from his hiding place, and he marched over to Shadow and glowered at him.  
“You eight-legged backstabber! Have you any idea what I went through, yesterday? You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your ugly face after ditching me like that.”  
“And a good morning to you, too.” Shadow spat. “I don’t know what your problem is, but it’s got nothing on the nightmare I went through last night. But there’s no time for that. We need to start making tracks, now!”  
Hunter scoffed and backed away.  
“Yeah, right! Like I’m going anywhere with you after the stunt you pulled.”  
“Don’t be an idiot.” Shadow growled as he stalked forward. “Listen to me! We need to get out of here before…”  
 _Stomp!_  
Artemis had quickly skirted forward, and the next thing Shadow knew was his face being buried in the snow with Artemis’ strong front leg holding him down and denting the armor over his brow.  
“So at last we meet, you arrogant excuse for a footstool.” She hissed. “I had hoped to make your acquaintance so that I might properly educate you on the fundaments of battle spider etiquette. From your current mannerisms, I can see that you are in dire need of the refresher.”  
Shadow groaned as he tried to wriggle out from under Artemis’ leg.  
“What the…where the heck did you come from? Oh, forget it! Get off!”  
Artemis raised her leg just an inch, allowing Shadow to come up for air, but then she forcefully shoved it back down, sending snow in all directions.  
“What an uncouth battle spider. Not even the slightest hint of dignity or formal training. Are you even aware of the code of ethics all spiders are meant to abide by?”  
“Of course I know them!” Shadow snarled, all eight legs flailing around like boat oars as he tried to escape Artemis’ iron grip.  
Off to the side, Hunter was helping himself to a big old slice of vindication. Up until now, Shadow had been nothing short of abrasive, and it was good to see him being put in his place for a change. But, all good things had to come to an end, and Shadow could only eat so much humble pie. He fired the spinnerets at the back of his thorax, and they wound around a tree. With a quick yank from his back legs, he pulled himself free, and Artemis retreated a couple of steps. After untying himself and feeling out the new dent on his forehead, Shadow stood to his full height as a show of intimidation.  
“Look, lady, I don’t know who you are, but you don’t see me judging you on etiquette, and you are certainly no noblewoman. What’s the big idea attacking me unprovoked?”  
Artemis scoffed.  
“I was most certainly provoked. Any battle spider of righteous intent would be furious when beholding one of their kin turning tail like a coward.”  
Shadow looked appalled.  
“A coward?! How dare you call me a…” He paused for a minute, and he looked at Hunter. Slowly, the pieces began to fall into place. “Oh. Oh! Now I see where this is coming from. Look, I didn’t abandon the kid, if that’s what you think. This is all one big misunderstanding.”  
“A likely story.” Artemis said with a sideways stare.  
“It’s the truth!” Shadow insisted. “There were more of those stupid drones, and they attacked me from behind. I was lucky to get out of it alive. Then I went looking for mister ungrateful over there _in the middle of a blizzard!_ I’d say I went above and beyond the call of duty.”  
Artemis didn’t look convinced, and she turned her back to him.  
“Bad enough a coward, but you are a liar as well. Kindly remove yourself, sir. Your company is not welcome amongst us civilized folk. Hunter, Corona, come along now.”  
Corona, whom had wisely jumped off when Artemis had charged, nudged Hunter, and they boarded Artemis’ back. However, they didn’t get far as Shadow darted in front of Artemis, cutting her off.  
“Now hold on just a second, sister.” he said. “I didn’t almost freeze to death just for a pushy femme spider to try and show me the road. It’s dangerous out here, and you need to know what you could be up against.”  
“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and these two humans.” Artemis said dismissively. “Your services are neither required, nor are they wanted. Now kindly remove yourself from my path.”  
“No!” Shadow interjected. “Not until you hear what I have to say! You don’t get it; you’re in grave danger.”  
“And yet the delivery spider’s past actions seem to dilute the alarm.” Artemis replied.  
She tried to move around him, but Shadow cut her off.  
“Will you stop being stubborn!” Shadow demanded. “Will you just listen to me for five seconds? There’s a spider killer out here, you idiot!”  
Artemis went stiff, and Corona had become stiff. Hunter looked between one to the other, and he quirked a brow.  
“Uh, I’m a little new to the game here. A what?”  
“War machines created by the invectids.” Corona said, her voice taking a tense edge. “Their one and only purpose is to kill battle spiders.”  
“But it can’t be true.” Artemis said, now sounding much more docile. “No spider killer could function properly enough in this weather or this terrain.”  
“Then it really stinks that Grasshop is in charge of such things.” Shadow grumbled. “Can’t believe I actually said that. I heard him and Buguese talking about it in their camp last night. Apparently, it’s been modified specifically for this kind of stuff. It’ll hound any spider within reach relentlessly, and it is programmed to capture Hunter in particular.”  
“Me?” Hunter gasped. “Why me?”  
Shadow scowled, and he pointed at the boy’s coat. Hunter absently put a hand to his coat pocket, and he felt the oracle puzzle box.   
“Oh, that. That makes sense.”  
He shook his head.  
“What am I even saying? Let’s get out of here.”  
“What do you think I have been saying all this…”  
Suddenly, a massive foreleg crashed between the two spiders, knocking them both aside. Hunter and Corona crashed into a snow drift, but they quickly dug themselves out when another foreleg came their way. Hunter rolled onto his knees, and he found himself looking up to see a giant mantis towering over him. Hunter had never seen a robot, and this experience promised that he would never want to see one again. He immediately got to his feet and started to run, and just in time for Corona to recover, draw her bow, and fire a light arrow at the creature. The bolt ultimately did nothing, however, and the mantis continued after Hunter. Corona whistled sharply, and Artemis stormed over to where she was so she could mount up.  
“Aim for the disk at the base of its neck!” the spider instructed. “That’s where the brain is stored!”  
“Roger!” Corona declared.  
Hunter continued to run as fast as his legs could carry him, all the while cursing his own stupid luck.  
“First it was fleas, then it was a spider, followed by bees, and now it’s a giant mantis! Does the Oracle hate me for some reason?”  
Corona fired bolt after bolt at the back of the spider killer’s head, but the light arrows only bounced off harmlessly against the brain disk that controlled the beast.  
“Shielded.” Corona grunted angrily. “If I had a sword, maybe.”  
Just then, strands of spider silk wound about one of the mantis’ legs, and it was yanked hard. The mantis teetered forward, and then it went crashing down onto its face. Hunter dove away just in time to avoid being crushed, and there he spied Shadow as he skillfully bound the large machine’s legs and avoided the scythe blades from its arms. Not waiting for an invitation, Artemis joined in, showering the robot’s arms with spider silk and binding them together. Before long, the large machine was bound up in a cocoon. Shadow skidded to a stop, just long enough to admire his work, and then he webbed up Hunter and stuffed him onto his back.  
“That won’t hold him forever. We need to get out of here, now!”  
Artemis too studied their work, and Corona was certain she was grinning.  
“We shall follow your lead then, warrior…Oh, my. I do not believe I got your name.”  
Shadow looked back at her, and Hunter was certain he was smirking.  
“The name is Shadow. Battle spider of the greatest rider that has ever been or ever will be, Quake the hero.”  
With that, the quartet made their way off down the path, now moving with great haste lest the spider killer break loose and begin the chase anew.  
……………………………………..  
Not far away, Buguese watched the display through a telescope, and once more he found himself annoyed with his host. A spider killer felled by spiders? Was there truly any disgrace? He shot a look at Grasshop out of the corner of his eye. Strangely, the jumpy grasshopper was not as jittery as usual. In truth, he looked quite calm. Happy even, as shown by the little tune he was humming while he busily knitted infant shaped sweaters.  
“I don’t see why you’re so blasted cheerful.” Buguese seethed. “Your spider killer has been defeated with barely any resistance. If I were you, I would be mindful of the ramifications of your ineptitude come our next meeting with Lord Mantid.”  
Grasshop stopped to inspect his work carefully.  
“Darn. You made me split a seam.”  
“Take this seriously, you idiot!”  
Grasshop sighed, and he put away his knitting.  
“You know, with an attitude like that, you’re destined to be single for the rest of your life. Relax. Everything is going according to plan.”  
Just then, a small beetle came skittering their way, and it crawled up Grasshop’s leg. He took it into his hand, and he spied a piece of paper clutched in its pincers.  
“Thank you, Dungobeet.” he said, petting the small bug on the head as he took the parchment. His mandibles broke out into a wide grin. “Good! The boys are in place. Now we can get going.”  
Buguese made a face.  
“Wait a minute? What’s going on here?”  
Grasshop shot him a smug look, and even Dungobeet seemed to be smirking.  
“I told you. I have a plan.”  
Buguese then heard the sound of something big ripping open, and Buguese looked through his telescope. The spider killer was gone, and nothing but the shredded webbings were left to prove it had been there. Buguese slowly lowered the telescope, and his lips, for the first time since he had come to this frost-bitten wasteland, parted into a smile.  
“It would seem I underestimated you, Grasshop my friend.”  
……………………………………….  
Hunter was walking now with his arms folded. After getting a head start on the spider killer, they dropped back to an easier pace so as not to tire out the two spiders should another crisis emerge. Artemis’ attitude towards Shadow had done a complete one eighty after his fearless display with the spider killer along with his bold declaration. It turned out that Artemis was an enormous fan of the hero Quake, which wasn’t really that surprising, and she was now asking numerous questions about her hero and doing everything she could do to make amends for stomping on Shadow’s head. Shadow didn’t take to the company very well, and he did his best to keep a marginal distance between her and himself.  
“I liked it better when she was hitting him.” Hunter grumbled. He still hadn’t forgiven Shadow for abandoning him, and he was hard pressed to believe any of his excuses for leaving.  
At Hunter’s side was Corona, whom eyed Shadow with a renewed curiosity. She would occasionally toss glances at the manacle on Hunter’s left arm, and then she would look between the two. After a while, she finally asked her question.  
“Are you a spider rider?”  
Hunter actually froze, and he turned to face Corona with a look that reflected confusion and a trace of annoyance.  
“Me? His rider? Heck no! I just found the stupid manacle in a cave, and he popped out. If I could do it all again, I would’ve just left the darn thing after what he’s put me through. It would probably have saved me a lot of trouble.”  
Corona hummed thoughtfully.  
“So, he really is Quake’s spider? _The_ Quake the Hero?”  
Hunter shrugged.  
“That’s what my grandpa said, and he would know since they traveled together.”  
“And he was nowhere in sight when you found the manacle? No body. No bones. Nothing?”  
Hunter made a sour face.  
“Ew, no! Why would you ask such a question?”  
“Oh, no reason in particular.” Corona said a tad hurriedly. “And Shadow doesn’t know where he went?”  
Hunter shook his head.  
“He’s convinced he’s alive, though, and I figure he would be the expert on the matter.”  
Corona took all this information down mentally, and she filed it away for later. It would seem she and Igneous would have something to talk about when they got back, and, if it was one thing the man couldn’t stand, it was a mystery.  
Eventually, the small troop came upon a large clearing that overlooked the cliffside. Being next to the edge once again made Hunter feel uneasy, but it was even worse when he saw their way down. A few meters ahead was a natural pathway that scaled down the wall of the mountain. It was barely big enough for a spider, and it was a very, very long way down. Corona matched his gazed, and she offered him an encouraging smile.  
“Don’t worry. It gets wider the further down you go. We’ll go single file, and I’ll have Artemis tie us to her. Even if you fall, she’ll be able to catch you.”  
Somehow, that didn’t make Hunter feel any better. They made their way through the clearing, being mindful of the large dunes that filled the area. Corona huffed as she crawled over one of the particularly large ones, Artemis having to backtrack to help her keep steady.  
“Oi, you might have been onto something, Artemis.” she grunted. “That storm really kicked up some snow. Hopefully, the pathway will still be fairly clear. I’m not too concerned with battle spiders at our side, but it will still be a perilous journey.”  
Hunter was trying so hard to put it out of his mind. Another cliff on the day following two near drops? He really was starting to wonder if this stupid manacle was cursed. It had to be either that or the box. Speaking of, he took it out from his coat, and he studied it curiously. It was predominately black, with some silver markings that appeared to be jumbled up. That made sense, seeing as how it was a puzzle box.  
On a whim, he turned one of the corners, just to see what would happen. There was a click, and the piece turned. Hunter’s heart actually skipped a beat, and he nearly threw the box out of shock. He had actually turned one of the parts of the puzzle box. A box that could only be opened by certain individuals with pure hearts; he had done that. After getting over the initial shock, Hunter tried another part of the box. It clicked, and sure enough it moved, too. Hunter was starting to get excited, and he continued to test the box more and more. Sure enough, the parts kept turning, and there was no resistance to his touch. For the first time since dawn yesterday, Hunter felt alive as he tried to line up the silver lines and make the required image. The puzzle proved to be difficult, but at the moment Hunter didn’t care. He was having too much fun as he managed to align one tiny part correctly. He was so absorbed into his puzzle that he didn’t notice the large dune in front of him. He was so preoccupied with aligning the markings that he didn’t notice the snow dune starting to move. He was so consumed with his task that he didn’t hear Corona call out to him as a massive centipede Invectid burst out of the snow. It was only when Shadow crashed into the thing to save him that the boy realized the bad situation they had all just walked into.  
“AMBUSH!”  
All around them, the snow mounds exploded, revealing more and more invectid soldiers armed to the teeth and ready for battle. Hunter clutched the puzzle box closely to his chest, and he immediately began to run. He didn’t know where he was going, but he didn’t care if it meant getting away from here. Within moments, the clearing had become a warzone. Hunter was ducking under the Invectids’ swords and clubs, as well as Corona’s light arrows as she fired wildly at the swarms of bug men. Shadow and Artemis were working in total tandem, one plowing through the horde while the other lassoed them up in webs. Hunter finally spotted a break in the line, and he barreled through it, earning him a clear path to the passage down the mountain. All he had to do was start his way down. Corona and the spiders would follow, they would make it down the mountain, and they would all traipse merrily into the sunset. That’s all he had to do: make it to that sunset! The path was just in sight, and he had shaken off the brunt of his pursuers. Just a few more feet and…  
Suddenly, he was cut off as the massive form of the spider killer crashed into his path, bringing him to an abrupt halt. Before he could even scream, a hole opened on the mantis robot’s torso and fired a beam of light, bathing Hunter within. He felt his everything freeze, and he became completely immobile and only barely able to breath. As she shot off two more arrows, Corona caught sight of Hunter’s plight.  
“Artemis! Shadow! The spider killer is back, and it has Hunter!”  
“I’m on it!” Shadow declared before bowling through another patch of invectid warriors.  
He fired a line of webs, intent on tripping up the robot like before, but a well-timed scythe blade slashed through the webs and a second knocked Shadow for a winding.  
“Unhand that boy, you mechanical monstrosity!” hissed Artemis as she lunged at the machine’s side and sank her fangs into its leg.  
The spider killer turned its head towards her, and its mandibles opened, revealing an opening that was beginning to glow. After a moment to charge, it fired a devastating burst of energy, blasting Artemis and sending her sliding across the snow before she was dogpiled upon by several invectid warriors. Corona shrugged off another of her pursuers, and she knocked another light arrow and fired. The bolt flew straight and true, and it struck the disarming light that held Hunter hostage. When sensation returned to his body, he turned back in time to see Corona being tackled from behind by a large invectid and was forced to the ground. She struggled and thrashed, but she couldn’t escape.  
“Run, Hunter!” Corona cried. “Head for the slope! Get out of here!”  
But Hunter stood frozen still. Once again, his world had become a whirlwind of chaos, and he couldn’t think clearly as he took in everything around him. Above him, the spider killer hissed, and it raised a massive scythe and aimed it for the stark still boy. Corona screamed for him to run, but he still wouldn’t move. Off to the side, Shadow had finally recovered, and all eight eyes went wide when he saw the monstrous machine bringing down its weapon.  
“NO!”  
With barely any time to act, he propelled himself forward. He crashed into Hunter, the scythe clipping him before the two of them rolled in the snow and landed in a heap. The blow seemed to bring some clarity to Hunter, and the boy groaned as he rolled to his hands and knees.   
That was when he saw two pairs of feet.   
He dared a glance upwards, and he immediately recognized Buguese and Grasshop from his village. He immediately scrambled away, backing up against Shadow and clutching the puzzle box tightly to his chest. He could hear the battle spider groan behind him, but he didn’t dare see how bad it was. Everything was already falling apart, and he wasn’t sure how much he was going to be able to take.  
Grasshop shot his comrade a smug look as he surveyed the scene. Both Corona and Artemis had been put in irons by his men, completely defenseless and at their mercy, and the other battle spider didn’t appear to be any condition to fight back. It was victory at its most absolute, and that meant there was only one thing left to do: rub it in Buguese’s stupid face.  
“Take notes my western compadre.” he said with an exaggerated wave of his hand and an agitated sigh from Buguese. “This right here is how a real general does his job. It took some time, a smidgeon of patience, and burning a village or two, but, as you can plainly see, I have not only defeated a spider rider, her mount, and some random wild spider, but I have also found that curious little box for you.”  
The mention of his village stirred something in Hunter, and he bolted to his feet, rushed forward, and he slammed into Grasshop’s gut. Hunter was immediately seized by two invectids while Grasshop spent the next few moments trying to catch his breath.  
“You little…brat!” he wheezed while rolling to his feet. “What’s the big idea? Didn’t your mommy ever tell you not to interrupt someone when they’re gloating?”  
“My mother is dead!” Hunter snarled as he fought against his captors. “So is my father, and now my grandfather! You stupid bugs took them all away from me!”  
Grasshop snorted at that, trying his best to maintain his posture inspite of the new pain in his abdomen.  
“Yeah, well, who’s fault is that? All we wanted was that fancy little box you got there. If you had of just handed it over, then we would have just left your little worthless village as it was. So there!”  
Hunter fell silent at that, and his chin sunk downward.  
“Don’t listen to him, Hunter!”  
He looked up to see Corona, who continued to struggle and fight against her bonds.  
“They’re bald-faced liars! They probably had plans to attack your village one way or another!”  
“Silence, you!” Grasshop snapped, which prompted a guard to shove Corona into the snow. “You’re still in a lot of trouble, young lady. Stealing crystals from the hardworking invectids that went through the trouble of mining them? Not in my territory, missy!”  
He looked back to Hunter, and he put on his most humble smile. He then nodded to the henchmen holding Hunter, and they released him.  
“You, on the other hand, have a bit more wiggle room to work with. With the exception of your possession of our box, you haven’t really done anything wrong, which means you have a chance to get off of this thing scottfree. All you have to do is give me that little box you’ve got clutched to your chest, and you can just go. No strings, no hidden clauses: a good old-fashioned transaction between two parties. I work in business, you see, so you can rest assured I know what I’m talking about. Come on, kiddo, what do you say?”  
Corona studied Hunter carefully, and to her dismay she could see that one of his fingers had become just the tiniest bit loose on the treasured puzzlebox.  
“Don’t listen to him, Hunter!” she cried out to him. “It’s all a trick! Invectids will tell you anything if it means they get what they want! Just run away! Get the box to the Arachna kingdom!”  
Her outburst brought about a round of laughter from Grasshop and his men, the lot of them actually chuckling in time with one another as though rehearsed.  
“Save your breath, missy. You’ve only got so much left. Here’s the real truth, bucko.”  
He pointed to the spider killer, and Hunter noticed that it seemed to be eyeing him specifically.  
“I’ve got that little beauty programmed to follow you explicitly. That little romp earlier up the mountain? It was just a ploy so that it could figure out which of you have the box. You might out run me, you might outrun Buguese, and I’ll even give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you will outrun my men. But you will not outrun my spider killer! It will catch you, and I promise that it isn’t anywhere near as merciful as I am.”  
He leaned forward, just enough so that Hunter couldn’t help but stare the tall invectid directly in his large, bulbous eyes. He could even see his own reflection in Grasshop’s pupils.  
“Be smart here, kid. That girl, those spiders, you don’t owe them jack. In this world, you have to be ready to look out for one person, and one person only: yourself. So be a good little boy and give old Uncle Grasshop the box. Come on, don’t be shy. Besides, it’ll be ours one way or another, so just save yourself the trouble.”  
Hunter was trembling again, and he felt as though the entire world was closing in on him. Everything seemed to be center on just him and Grasshop, and everything else was moot. He couldn’t hear Corona shouting at him, nor did he seem to notice Shadow’s weak attempts to move. His entire focus was centered completely on the box in his hands. So much trouble over a stupid box. Even he had only moments ago had given in to the excitement surrounding it, only now it made him feel silly. Surely something so small, so ridiculous looking couldn’t be worth all this fuss. Then there was what Grasshop said. The invectids weren’t going to be letting this thing get away from them, even if Hunter, Corona, and the spiders somehow managed to escape. It was likely they would be dogged from the mountain all the way to the Arachna kingdom, and they would probably just get killed somewhere down the road.   
Grasshop’s eyes sparkled as Hunter’s grip receded further and further from the box, and the grasshopper triumphantly held out a hand to receive his price as Corona cried out once more.  
“Yeah, that’s it, boyo. Good on you. I could tell from the looks of you that you were a bright fellow. It’s like I always say. There’s no shame in defeat, and it it’s always good to know when to just give up.”  
Hunter suddenly froze.  
Something about Grasshop’s last few words struck a note with him, and Digger’s words began to play in Hunter’s head.  
 _Whatever happens whenever you cross through that door, I want you to remember to never give up. The enemy can only claim victory when you have completely given up the fight. Promise that you will stand up for those less fortunate than yourself, and that you will never surrender no matter the cost. Promise me…_  
What was he doing?  
He couldn’t give in. Not now! Corona and Artemis were in danger, Shadow was hurt, and, while it may have seemed silly to make such a fuss over it, this box was important. There was no way he could allow the invectids to have it. Grasshop took notice of his freeze, and his expression soured.  
“You’re starting to annoy me, kid. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and you have no way to escape. Now let me have it!”  
Hunter looked up at him again, and Grasshop knew right away from the boy’s smile that he had just made a big mistake.  
“Ok, Mr. Grasshop. But only because you asked.”  
Hunter then took the box in one fist, reared it back, and he smashed against Grasshop’s face as hard as he could. The blow actually knocked Grasshop back a few feet, where he landed on his back while covering his face and screaming madly in absolute pain. This brought up a unified gasp amongst Grasshop’s men, followed by thunderous cheers from Corona. Hunter then clutched the puzzlebox to his chest once again, his eyes ablaze with righteous fury.  
“You invectids stole everything. You took my home, my family, and you’d gladly take my life, I’m sure. But mark my words! You will never lay one grummy hand on this box. I made my grandpa a promise, and I’m not about to break it just because things look back. You say I’m outnumbered, then I’ll take you all on! You say I’m outgunned, then I’ll fight you with whatever I’ve got! You say that there’s no way out, then I’ll make one myself! No matter what, I am never letting this box out of my sight, and I will never, ever give up! You got that?”  
In his current state, Grasshop could offer little in terms of a reply. Thus, it fell to Buguese to step forward while brandishing his red long sword. He sized Hunter up, measuring his potential as a threat, but finding nothing of worth.  
“You humans have a natural talent for stupidity and bloated bravado.” he dictated eloquently. “However, with that said, I can almost admire your courage. To stand in the face of inescapable doom undaunted is truly a skill to savor. On this day, you shall die with your honor in tact.”  
Hunter refused to be intimidated.  
“Shows what you know, bugbreath! You’re all going down!”  
“Whatever you need to tell yourself, boy.”  
Buguese raised his sword high overhead, intent to finish the matter in one strike. Time seemed to slow around them, and Hunter could only stand his ground and brace himself for the coming blow. He wouldn’t falter, he wouldn’t run. Someway, somehow, he was going to find a way out of this, and they were all going to make it to the Arachna kingdom. He just needed…something. A distraction? A secret weapon? Something he could use to turn the tide against the invectids and get them on the fast track off of the mountain.  
And that was when he saw her.  
She was standing behind Buguese, he green hair floating in a breeze that wasn’t there and her fair skin reflecting all light around her. No other invectid seemed to notice her. In fact, it seemed that Hunter alone was the only one that could see her. Though her eyes were close, she seemed to be looking directly at Hunter, her smile warm and inspiring hope into Hunter’s heart. She then raised his left hand high into the sky, and he lips slowly moved as she uttered a single word.  
 _Arachnapower._  
The word seemed to echo in the hollows of Hunter’s mind, striking an almost primal instinct within him. Yes, it was just like the day before on the mountain’s ledge. It was the same voice that had instructed him on how to release Shadow from the manacle. It was then that Hunter understood, and he knew what he needed to do.  
All at once, time seemed to be moving at regular speed again. The sword came down, Corona screamed Hunter’s name, Shadow, having recovered just enough, lunged for Hunter to move him to safety, and, in the space of those few short seconds, Hunter raised his left hand, manacle in clear view, and he proclaimed a single word at the top of his lungs.  
“ARACHNAPOWER!!!”  
There came a sound like the crackling of lightning, and suddenly Buguese was sent flying by an invisible force. The crystal within the hilt of the manacle began to shine brightly as its power coursed throughout Hunter’s entire body, filling out every molecule from the tips of his red hair to his smallest pinkie toe. Literal webs of energy then snaked their way down his arm, melding together and forming a suit of armor akin to Corona’s. His tunic was a light baby blue with darker colors dominating the spaulders on his shoulders. A triangular shield materialized over his left arm, binding to the manacle, and a white and gold axial pike appeared in his right. Behind him, Shadow’s wounds were suddenly mended, followed by the armor surrounding his carapace becoming denser but also lightweight. When the light finally faded, Hunter, with his left hand still raised to the sky, found himself standing on Shadow’s back where all could see him in his shining glory. Off to the side, he could hear Corona cheering and completely ecstatic.  
“I knew it! I just knew it!” she rambled proudly. “You’re one of us, Hunter Steele! You are a Spider Rider!”


End file.
